The girls tennis season is in the books – it’s the first fall sport to finish – and the Davis Darts had some stellar individuals performances. 

Overall, the team tied for eighth place at the Class 6A state tournament, held Oct. 5, 7 at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City. Davis and fellow Region 1 school Layton both had 13 points, second-best among region teams. Layton was the top Region 1 finisher with 42 points. The 6A title went to Skyridge. 

The Darts improved on last year’s 11th-place showing when they scored seven points. In this year’s tournament, Davis had all seven of its varsity players qualify for state. Four of the five positions reached the quarterfinals. 

At second singles, senior Esmae King secured a bye in the round of 32 before beating Bingham’s Zaida Meurer in three sets. King prevailed in set one 6-1 but then lost the second set 6-3. She rebounded to clinch the victory with a 6-1 victory in the third set, advancing her to the quarterfinals to face Skyridge’s Kaia Sperry. King couldn’t overcome the talented Sperry, falling 6-0 6-0. 

The third singles competitor, Ava Dunyon, a junior, moved to the quarterfinals after an opening-round bye and a round of 16 victory over Syracuse’s Sarah Taggart, 6-3, 6-4. For the right to move to the semifinals. However, Dunyon lost to American Fork’s Olivia Bishop 6-2, 6-0 to end her season. 

Davis’ Ellie Henderson, a senior and fellow senior Mia Schimmer got to the quarterfinals in the first doubles group. They defeated Savanna Lee and Lilia Packer from Layton in the round of 16 by the score of 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) before falling in the quarterfinals to Corner Canyon. The match went two sets with Henderson and Schimmer losing 6-2, 6-4. 

In second doubles, senior Rachel Burke and sophomore Elizabeth Williams moved right into the round of 16 after a bye in the round of 32. They began with a hard-fought victory over Mountain Ridge, 6-2, 7-5 (7-5) before facing a tall task against a pair from Skyridge. A trip to the semifinals wasn’t to be, as Burke and Williams couldn’t prevail, losing 6-2, 6-1. 

First singles player Annisey Goaslind, a junior lost in the round of 32 to Farmington’s Brighton Johnson 6-3, 6-2. 

The Darts bring back three of their seven varsity starters for the 2024 campaign. Davis will look for some junior varsity players and young newcomers to fill those spots next year when the season begins in early August.