Sinnott takes over Carson cross country

Carson High School cross country has experienced considerable success since the 1960s.

For starters, there have been 10 state team championships - seven for the girls, three for the boys - including a three-year stretch between 1989 and '91 when the Senators swept both titles at the state meet. On the individual side, the roll call of state champions includes Lauretta Miller (1982), Cindy Rockwood (1984 and '86), Kim Orlando (1990), Bob Ryser (1989-90), Sarah Piccolo (1991), Robert Parish (1994) and Alexander Tomas (1996).

Lifelong Carson City resident Pete Sinnott has seen all of those runners, and countless others, which makes him all the more excited entering his first season as head coach of a Carson program that is looking to continue its long run of success.

"The teams in the North are really strong, so we're going to have to work hard to compete with them," Sinnott said. "But I think we're going to be there. This group has a lot of potential."

That's saying something when you consider Sinnott has seen so many runners in Carson City. And when you consider that after he graduated from Carson High in 1967, Sinnott went on to the University of Nevada and set school records in the mile (4:01) and 880 (1:49). Sinnott even experienced Carson cross country as a parent - son Dominic placed second at state in 1994.

"I know I had good coaches growing up here, especially when I was in high school, and I'd like to help these kids reach their goals now," Sinnott said. "I'm going to try and build on the program Dennis (Brinson) left me, and it's a good one. I feel we have a strong core of people and that we're ready to compete with anyone in Nevada."

Carson ranked among the state's top programs last year when the girls finished third and the boys seventh at the state championships - behind conference rivals South Tahoe and Reno.

Chad Shroy returns for what shapes up to be solid senior season after he placed fifth at last year's state meet. He is coming off an impressive track season in which he placed fourth (4:36.67) in the 1,600 meters at the regional meet and barely missed qualifying for state.

Shroy is excited about the overall prospects for this season. Individually, his goal is to become a state champion. From a team standpoint, he looks for good things as well.

"The boys team was strong last year and we've got some new guys who are going to help, and the girls are still very strong, so I think it's looking great. I think we're going to be able to achieve a lot," Shroy said.

Six of the top seven girls from last season return, led by juniors Christy Works and Gloria Sosa. Works placed 12th and Sosa 18th at last year's state cross country meet, plus they were teammates on a 4x400 relay team that placed second (4:01.71) at the state track meet in May. Works also placed second in the 400 meters (58.70) at state.

"Christy and Gloria should be two of the top girls in the North," Sinnott said. "Christy obviously has a lot of speed; she's just a natural runner and a real competitor. I think Gloria uncovered some of her talent and started to build some confidence last year, so I'm looking for her to have a real strong season."

Carson has other solid runners as well.

Hannah Riedl, Kristin Dockery, Meagan Meyer and Jenny Mital all ran well at the regional and state meets last year. Now, Meyer is the only senior on the girls team. Dockery is a junior, while Riedl and Mital are sophomores.

On the boys side, Ethan Graber and Caleb Carter return from a group that placed fourth at last year's regional meet. Two valuable additions to the team figure to be freshmen Richard Shroy and Nick Schlager, who finished 1-2 for Carson Middle School in the eighth grade division at the Tah-Neva League Championships last year, plus they have experience running at Junior Olympic national championship meets.

The Senators need to run well to be successful in the highly competitive Northern 4A. Reno, South Tahoe and Galena again figure to be powers in the North - if not the entire state, and beyond. For example, Reno's Mel Lawrence placed 10th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the recent World Junior Championships.