There was no shortage of attention on the Mitty Monarchs this season. From a 2-12 start to reaching the CCS Open Division Championship game and Northern California semifinals after barely squeaking into the postseason, the Monarchs’ ups and downs this year made for one of the most fascinating stories in the region.

At the center of it all was Devan Sapp, a deadly outside shooter whose prowess fueled Mitty’s playoff run and earned him the honor of CCS Sophomore of the Year.

After an impressive regular season, in which he sank 55 3-pointers and averaged 11.1 points per game, Sapp caught fire in the postseason, playing with such excellence that he may still be hot to the touch more than a month after the season drew to a close.

In six playoff games, he averaged 19.1 points per game and shot a ridiculous 23-of-41 on 3-pointers, highlighted by a 27-point outburst against Palo Alto in the CCS Open Division Semifinals. In that game, he was 8-for-12 from beyond the arc, answering the call on a night where the Vikings resolved to not let Riley Grigsby take over the game in the paint.

Though the Monarchs did stumble in the Open Division title game, Sapp showed in the state tournament that his showing against Palo Alto was no fluke. He dropped 26 against St. Ignatius in the second round, sinking five threes to oust the league rival Wildcats. With two and a half minutes left, he sank one to give Mitty a 53-48 lead, and at the end of the shot clock with 45 seconds left, he drained his fifth to put the Monarchs up by six.

That performance against SI was especially telling. Sapp’s high in WCAL play was 19, but to put up 26 against a team from a league where defense comes first is remarkable, especially considering the Wildcats’ renewed commitment on defense and focus on shutting him down.

“Devan made a huge jump in his development as a competitor,” said head coach Tim Kennedy. “When he is locked in and focused, he becomes unstoppable. We are looking forward to next season as he continues to improve.”

Sapp became something of a silent assassin as the season went on, sneaking up on teams that had devoted their focus to stopping his upperclassmen teammates. It went right along with his demeanor, never trying to become the center of attention but quietly going about his business.

His play, though, was far from quiet. He would often announce his presence with an early 3-pointer and then take over down the stretch, managing to find openings at critical junctures of games.

For all of the great players that have come out of the WCAL, Sapp may be the next to join the ranks of the elite, and as he does so, no matter how calm he may be about it, the fans certainly won’t be quiet.

For all his effort this season, we are pleased to recognize Devan Sapp as the Central Coast Section Sophomore of the Year.

Other players considered for this award include Riordan's Je'Lani Clark and Sacred Heart Cathedral's Bryce Monroe.

NOTE: We would like to thank our media partners, coaches, parents, players and fans for contributing photos for our all-section features. We salute all of the players that have made this a wonderful season of CCS basketball.