Leavitt ultimately cleared Heap in two sets (6-2, 6-2), but Weber’s lone semifinalist at this year’s tournament broke Leavitt’s streak of shutouts in the second round and quarterfinals, reaching the semifinals with Heap after four 6-0 sets.

Heavy rain moved the contest indoors from Liberty Park, where Heap defeated Mountain Ridge senior and No. 4 seed Katelyn Burton in three sets Thursday. One round shy of the finals, Heap’s first state trip trumped that of every other Northern Utah qualifier in the 6A postseason.

“She was really good, hitting the ball with a lot of topspin and she could hit it really hard,” Heap said of Leavitt. “I just had to get it back and place it the best I could. You’re going to have to be really fast because they can hit really good (at state), and you’re going to need as many balls as possible, even if they’re not the prettiest.”

Heap moved to singles from the sub-varsity doubles court, where she started her prep career as a freshman. Her blossoming athleticism and what Weber coach Kaitlan Toole described as “disciplined learning” saw Heap flourish solo in Year 2.

Toole is partially responsible for Heap trading the balance beam for a tennis racket following a handful of one-on-one lessons while the former was still in junior high.

“She’s done a lot of drills that’ve helped me learn where I’m supposed to position myself, where I can be really consistent, while also being powerful,” Heap said. “That’s been really cool.”

The next-best singles run out of Northern Utah came from Davis senior Olivia Roberts, the No. 6 seed in second singles. Roberts earned a first-round bye and cleared her second-round contest with Copper Hills’ Quincey Klein, the No. 11 seed, in two sets, but dropped a three-set battle with Skyridge freshman Kiri Sperry, the No. 3 seed, in the quarterfinals Thursday.

In first doubles, Davis junior duo Grace Chapman and Gentry Chapman, the No. 5 seed, and Weber senior duo Gracie Toole and Mollie Gibby, the No. 6 seed, both stalled out in the quarterfinals after earning a first-round bye to begin the playoff.

In second doubles, Davis senior duo Khloe Cisney and Kallista Wright, the No. 6 seed, gave up two sets to American Fork combo Demi Dalton and Rylee Egbert, the No. 3 seed, in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

The 5A and 3A tournaments opened Saturday, too. Play continues Thursday, Oct. 9, with second-round matches beginning at 9 a.m. at Liberty Park.

Connect with reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.