West Park, Roseville ready for first playoff games

Two Roseville football teams, West Park and Roseville, didn't play last week, but play this week. West Park (9-1) the No. 2 seed in the Division III bracket, will host No. 7 Merced (8-3), winner of the Central California Conference. "They're a talented group and their head coach (Rob Scheidt) just won his 200th game last week so they're well-coached," West Park coach Jason Tenner said. "Their quarterback is talented; he's big, strong and athletic. He throws it; he can run it and plays defense end and linebacker on the other side. "They've got a shifty running back who's good and their defense is athletic. They remind us a lot like us. "I'm expecting it to be a four-quarter game. We're going to have to be ready." The main concern for West Park is they haven't played in a competitive game since the last week of September and are coming off a two-week bye. Refreshed and healthier, yes, but will there also be some rust? Roseville (7-3), the No. 3 seed in Division IV, plays host to No. 6 seed Sacramento (8-3) on Friday night. The Dragons opened the playoffs with a 28-20 win over Del Campo, a game that was closer than it probably should have been. "They're a very athletic and big team," Roseville coach Adam Reinking said. "If anyone saw us get off the bus next to each other, no one would pick us to win. They're big and physical up front and their offense is very explosive. They got two good running backs and a couple good receivers. We can't give up the big play. "On defense, they're probably the most athletic team we've played. They really run around well and their middle linebacker and free safety are really good players. They will be a problem for us if we don't block them. "We're going to have to execute on offense. They will be a good test for us. They've played in a lot of tight games against good teams. It's a good opportunity for us to see what we can do against a fast, physical team."