Candice Denny

SportStar of the Week | Archbishop Mitty-San Jose | Volleyball | Senior • Denny had a game-high 17 kills with an astounding 60 percent success rate to help lead the Monarchs to a straight-sets win over Santa Margarita-Rancho Santa Margarita in the CIF Open Div. State Championship on Dec. 3. In a matchup of the top two-ranked teams in the state, Mitty won unexpectedly easily with scores of 25-19, 25-22, 25-18. 

Denny’s phenomenal hitting performance was emblematic of the entire Mitty attack in the match. As a team, the Monarchs were successful on 44.2 percent of their swings — a number that even took players and coaches by surprise when they saw the official stat sheet during the postgame session with the media. Mitty finished the season 38-4 and state champions for a state-record 13th time. They were also named the Cal-Hi Sports Volleyball State Team of the Year for the sixth time since 2008 and the seventh time overall.

STONE SMARTT: The Del Oro-Loomis senior QB remained delivered a 4-TD effort in the Golden Eagles’ NorCal regional win on Dec. 3. In five playoff games, Smartt has thrown for 1,160 yards and 15 TDs with no interceptions and rushed for 272 yards and 4 TDs. 

SELINA XU: The Menlo School-Atherton sophomore posted a triple-double with a match-high 12 kills (along with teammate Ashley Dreyer), 19 assists and 10 digs in a three-set victory in the CIF Div. IV state championship on Dec. 3. It was the Knights’ first state title.