Roseville survives to beat West Park in double OT, 23-17

It's safe to say if you weren't at Roseville High School Friday night you missed the best football game played in the Sacramento area this season. Two cross-town rivals, Roseville and West Park, squared off for a battle of football supremacy in Roseville and the Tigers won the game in double overtime, 23-17. The teams met last year for the first time and West Park held on for a 35-28 win, but on Friday night, a beaten and battered Roseville squad blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, only to come back and win the game in the second overtime with a one-yard touchdown run from Colton Wolfe. Winning any game in double overtime is sweet, but the fact that Roseville beat a cross-town rival made it even better. "Any time we play schools within our school district, it's more meaningful because everyone knows each other," Roseville coach Adam Reinking said. "With West Park being the new school, the shiny school, the destination school that everyone wants to go to, we're out to prove that we can compete with shiny new things on the west side of town. "We lost a lot of kids to West Park four years ago when they opened and we've got a little bit of our chip on our shoulder because of it. You don't have to go to other places to have a good experience playing football. "Last year West Park got us, but this year the guys kept telling me that we were going to win the game and we did." The game was played on Roseville's home turf, but the Tigers were probably still considered underdogs given that arguably their three top offensive weapons were standing on the sidelines in street clothes. Quarterback Mason Susnara was out with a foot injury; running back D'Marcis Gresham missed the game because of a bad ankle, while receiver JJ Yong was on the sideline in a sling because of a broken collarbone. Impressively, that was not enough to keep the Tigers down. Roseville jumped on top early on, as West Park fumbled the opening kickoff that Roseville recovered. Moments later, Cole Takahashi scored and Roseville led 7-0. West Park responded and came back to tie the game with a one-yard run by Declan Shindelbower. Before the first quarter ended, Austin Chang hit a 33-yard field goal to put Roseville back in front 10-7. Late in the second quarter, Roseville made its second big play of the game, as Kenny McClure picked off a Jaden Jackson pass and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown in the final minute of the half, putting the Tigers in front 17-3 and with all the momentum as the game went to halftime. The teams traded interceptions to start the second half, as Tanner McSweeney intercepted Hunter Felkins and then Justin Fischer returned the favor by picking off a Jaden Jackson pass. West Park had a big opportunity in the third quarter when Tristan Esquivel blocked a punt that West Park fell on at the Roseville 35-yard line. However, they failed to capitalize, as Roseville's defense held firm. West Park got within a touchdown of the lead when Luke Prestedge kicked a 19-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. Gavin McDaniel then intercepted a Felkins pass deep in Roseville territory at the 32-yard line, and returned it to just inside the 10-yard line, setting up the offense in great position to score. However, Roseville's defense again stepped up and held West Park on three-straight plays from inside the three-yard line, as Jack Walker made the tackle on the fourth-down run. Roseville could do nothing but move the ball out just enough to give Austin Chang room to punt. Chang saved the game For Roseville by jumping up to catch a high snap and got the punt away. West Park made one last push to score and did so when Jackson scored on a one-yard run with 1:36 to play, which tied the game at 17. Both teams had one more possession but neither scored and the game went to overtime. Roseville got the ball first and Chang missed a 48-yard field goal. Prestedge had the game on his foot in the second overtime, but missed a field goal from 41-yards out, giving Roseville another chance. West Park got the ball first in the second overtime and moved the ball down to the six-yard line, but again had to settle for a field goal attempt. Prestedge attempted a kick from 23 yards, but Peanut Hawkins came unblocked around the right end and blocked the kick, giving his team a chance to score and win the game. The Tigers did just that, as Takahashi took the team down to the one-yard on three carries before Wolfe took it in from one-yard out. "What made this win more sweet is having arguably our three best skill players out," Reinking said. "Our defense carried us. Our special teams picked us up and kept us in the game. We made just enough plays to in fourth quarter and overtime to hang on. "I don't know if I've ever been more proud of a group. This was a complete and total team effort. Everyone played for name on the front of the jersey. This game meant a lot, just like next week's game against Woodcreek. "Everything about this game was a grind. West Park is really good on defense and so tough up front." Roseville quarterback Hunter Felkins, taking the place for the injured Mason Susnara, continued his good play for the Tigers. "Hunter played his mind out," Reinking said. "He was battered and bruised and he left everything on the field. He's in a tough situation playing for Mason, who's one of the best quarterbacks in the area. He's got big shoes to fill, but he's a solid young man and he's growing each week. He made some huge throws for us. He's a tremendous leader; I couldn't ask anything else from the young man." For West Park, they played well enough to win and had every chance to win, but just couldn't get it done. "We battled, but we just didn't make the play," West Park coach Jason Tenner said. "It seemed like the ball kept bouncing their way, but I'm a believer that you make your own breaks. I told the team that preparation matters and the ability to execute in pressure situations is important. We had our chances, but we needed someone to step up and make a play." Next week West Park welcomes Reed, while Roseville faces another school from the school district when they travel to Woodcreek. The Tigers have already beaten Antelope, Oakmont and Woodcreek. Unfortunately, there's no room on the schedule for the fifth team in the district, Granite Bay.