Mark Sinnott is pumped up, but he keeps that emotion hidden. He is a guy of few words, a total opposite of most high school players.
For the first time in three years, Sinnott gets an opportunity to butt heads with archrival Douglas tonight (7 p.m.) in a game that will decide the Sierra League championship and the top seed for the upcoming regional playoffs.
Sinnott, a three-year varsity player, missed the game his sophomore year because of a collarbone injury. He missed last year's game with a groin injury.
"I'm pretty excited," he said prior to Monday's practice. "We have to concentrate on the game and not so much on the rivalry."
Douglas has won the last seven matchups between the rivals, and Sinnott said it would be "awesome" to end the skid this year.
Sinnott's maturity is refreshing. He has the respect of his teammates because of the way he goes about his business. He is not a rah-rah type of guy. That's not his style.
"He's a very mature kid for his age," Carson coach Blair Roman said. "I've known Mark since his sophomore year, and he doesn't say a whole lot. He doesn't drink. He doesn't smoke. He does the right thing.
"He's the epitome of what a high school player is supposed to be. He wasn't blessed with great athletic ability, but he works very hard. Pound for pound he's the strongest guy I've ever coached. He may not play past high school, but he's having a great senior year."
And his work ethic is beyond reproach, according to Roman. Sinnott said it's something he's always had.
Sinnott brings impressive running numbers into the contest. He has carried the ball 68 times for 434 yards and nine scores. The nine TDs match the total from his junior year when he missed the equivalent of two games down the stretch.
This year's numbers could be
better had he not suffered a high ankle sprain in the first half of the McQueen game, which caused him to miss a couple of games. Also, the Senators have had some blowout wins where the first stringers didn't play at all in the second half.
His season started on a huge note when he scored on a 67-yard run to spark the Senators to a 24-7 win over Spanish Springs. But he suffered the ankle injury the next game, which marked his third straight season that he was sidelined because of injuries. He missed the wins over Reed and South Tahoe before returning for the 14-11 loss to Manogue.
Sinnott had just 16 total yards in the loss on eight offensive touches.
"He was kind of tentative against Manogue," Roman said. "It took a couple of games to get over the mental part (of the injury)."
Sinnott scored three times against Galena, possibly his best game since returning.
"I think I've come back well," Sinnott said. "I wish I hadn't gotten hurt in the first place. I was scared a little bit to cut on it and to have people land on it."
Sinnott does most of his damage between the tackles, and his strong leg drive means it usually takes more than one hit to bring him down.
"He understands what we're trying to do up front," said Pat Houlihan, the Senators' line coach. "He has the ability to hit the hole hard and quick, and read the lanes that are going to open up."
His strength comes through when he needs to block, and that was never more evident than against Fallon last week.
"He had three flatbacks (blocks where he put a defensive player on his back)," Roman said. "He was leading Dylan (Sawyers) on a running play. He does a lot of things that go unnoticed."