Daily Pilot Football Player of the Week: Mark Cianciulli

Barry Faulkner

Mark Cianciulli loves to dream about running the football. When

he’s not viewing his favorite Barry Sanders videotape, he’ll study

runners at any level, trying to incorporate a new move into his

repertoire.

But when the Corona del Mar High junior tailback lines up behind his

offensive line, conscious thought becomes about as welcome as an

unblocked linebacker.

“It’s like they tell Maverick in ‘Top Gun,’ ” Cianciulli said. “When

you think, you’re dead. For me, it has to be 100% instinct. If I start

thinking about what I’m going to do with the ball, I’m in trouble.”

Honed by six seasons of taking handoffs, dating back to his first year

of Pop Warner at age 10, as well as countless hours studying more

advanced ball carriers, Cianciulli’s instincts usually keep him on the

right path.

Such was the case Oct. 18, when he amassed 227 rushing yards on 33

carries, both career highs, in the Sea Kings’ 37-10 loss to University

High.

Darting through the open spaces created by his offensive line, as well

as lead-blocking fullback Matt Cooper, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Cianciulli

upped his season total to 777 rushing yards. Along with the 159 yards he

collected as a sophomore, this former freshman team MVP is 64 yards from

the 1,000-yard mark for his varsity career, heading into the Sea Kings’

Pacific Coast League clash Friday against Laguna Beach.

The Daily Pilot Player of the Week’s accomplishments this season,

including five touchdowns, are even more impressive when one considers he

shares time with fellow junior Keith Long.

“I would love to play more offense,” said Cianciulli, who also starts

at cornerback. “I love to play running back, but I also know I need to

rest. (Running backs coach Tony Naranjo) likes to rotate Keith and I, and

I think that’s great. I like to watch Keith run sometimes.”

Still, Cianciulli, whose combination of quick feet, cutting ability

and willingness to deliver a blow can frustrate opposing tacklers, admits

the more times he carries, the better feel and rhythm he can generate in

a given game.

When Cianciulli is feeling it, he displays some of Sanders’

elusiveness, as well as some of the aggression of Water Payton.

“I’m very competitive in everything I do, so I always try to get every

yard I can,” Cianciulli said. “When I have a choice between running for

the sideline and running into a guy, I’ll take the guy, to try to get an

extra couple yards. Sometimes you get lucky when you take the guy and you

get an extra 5 or 10 yards. I mostly just try to get every inch. I’m not

a big fan of hitting the ground.”

Cianciulli’s desire to milk every carry has prompted some constructive

criticism from CdM Coach Dick Freeman.

“He’s learning there are times when he can’t dance,” Freeman said. “He

can make a lot of people miss, but that’s not always the smart thing to

do when eight guys have you surrounded. Sometimes, it’s better to lower

your shoulder, get up the field and take what you can get. Mark is

getting better about learning when to do that.”

After watching Blake Hacker take a pounding as the featured ball

carrier last season, and suffering some injuries himself, including a

bruise shoulder and a broken thumb, the latter sidelining him for the

final four games last fall, Cianciulli made a commitment to add muscle

and strength in the offseason.

“He really worked hard to prepare himself,” Freeman said. “He knew he

needed to be strong enough to hold himself together.”

Cianciulli said he added nearly 20 pounds in the weight room after his

sophomore year and he is reaping the benefits.

“It really comes into play,” he said of the added bulk, which also

helps him deliver punishment as a tackler at cornerback.

“I love to hit,” he said, “so I like playing defense. It gives me the

chance to do the hitting, rather than be the one getting hit.”