Roseville Tigers win first CIF title since 1987 behind championship-maker Chang
In the rich history of the Roseville Tigers football program, several names stand out — old timers and all-timers to celebrate.
They include: Fred Besana, who fired touchdown passes in three professional leagues from 1977-85; Robbie Bosco, who quarterbacked BYU to the 1985 national championship; Tedy Bruschi, who played in five Super Bowls as a ransacking linebacker for the New England Patriots; and Kolton Miller, a 2018 first-round draft pick in the NFL who earns a living in the trenches for the Las Vegas Raiders.
And Austin Chang. Wait. Who?
Say hello to the program’s latest mover and shaker in shoulder pads, and the young man who lifted Roseville to championship heights on a crisp Saturday evening on Thanksgiving weekend in 2025.
He’s not likely headed to the NFL, but Chang’s class and schoolmates won’t forget him after he calmly drilled a 24-yard field goal with two seconds to play, all of it set up by a masterful late drive by senior quarterback Mason Susnara as the Tigers stunned East Union of Manteca, 31-29, to win the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV championship at Hughes Stadium.
Players, coaches and all comers mobbed Chang when it was over, the backdrop including a large contingent of Placer County fans who filled the home side of storied venue at Sacramento City College. Among the chilled and ecstatic in a sea of black and orange school colors were members of the Roseville student rooting section.
Chang is a fan of this college setting. Last spring, his base hit at nearby Union Stadium proved to be the game winner in lifting Roseville to a baseball section championship. Earlier this fall in Placer County, Chang fired the most entertaining goal of a section championship effort, a back-handed shot for a team that included his star-player twin brother, Ashton.
So yes, the Chang name resonates on the 113-year old Roseville High campus.
“Austin came up clutch again right here, game winner,” said an ecstatic Adam Reinking, the Roseville coach. “Those Chang brothers are money. Austin’s money. Had tons of faith that he’d get it done.”
In the spirit of old school, Reinking said he was delighted to hear from Bruschi and Miller this week. Bruschi was named The Sacramento Bee’s greatest player in regional prep football history in a story published in 2000. He and Miller have visited their old school to talk to players and teachers and, often, to run football camps for children in the community.
This marked Roseville’s first section championship in this sport since 1987. The Tigers were coached then by longtime mentor Bob Jellison, and he was replaced by longstanding coach Larry Cunha. Reinking is in his eighth year coaching the Tigers and sixth as head coach.
Susnara, Yong, gritty line lead the Tigers charge
Susnara, Roseville’s skilled and gritty third-year starting quarterback, passed for 239 yards and three touchdowns. He found star receiver JJ Yong for scoring strikes of 35 yards for a 7-7 tie and 48 yards to open the third quarter for a 28-21 lead. Susnara’s 12-yard TD pass to Jack Walker tied it 14-14 against the Lancers, who bounced unbeaten Twelve Bridges of Lincoln in a semifinal.
It was 21-21 at the half. East Union pulled to within 28-27 with 2:48 left to play on Brayden Camara’s 1-yard plunge. Quarterback Kirk Simoni ran in the 2-point conversion for a 29-28 lead as the Lancers wanted to seize the game with that bold call and to put the pressure on Roseville.
Susnara thrives on pressure. He unleashed laser passes over the middle and to the sideline to set up Chang, a first-year kicker who had a proven leg as one of the school’s top soccer players. Chang, like a lot of his teammates, is also a fine student. The senior has a 3.65 GPA.
“I heard Roseville didn’t have a kicker, and it all started as a joke,” a relieved Chang said. “I was telling a friend, ‘Should I kick?’ and he’s like, ‘Yeah!’ So I came out and learned how to kick a football. I was confident I’d make the kick, but it took everyone to win this game.”
The unsung players are those in the trenches, the Tedy Bruschi and Kolton Miller sorts. That would be the offensive linemen, several of whom attended a section playoff breakfast last week, decked in black and orange game uniforms with no sleeves, all the better to showcase their muscle.
The offensive line about which Susnara and others have raved this season features guards Trevor Kirby and Danny Rubio, tackles Caleb Barba and Sam Flynn and center Buzz Ostrom. Ostrom is the great-grandson of Buzz Ostrom, a coaching giant in Placer County decades ago by the same name and namesake of the Sierra College football stadiumafter.
Roseville defensive anchors include linebacker Jack Walker and safety Dylan Gates, who had an interception.
Roseville, ‘an amazing school,’ will play for a NorCal crown
Roseville at 11-2 on Sunday afternoon learned that their CIF Northern California Division 3-A championship game will be at East Bay powerhouse McClymonds (10-2) of Oakland at on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Reinking has championed the old-school cause at Roseville, and he reminds that the school remains strong in academics and athletics across the board.
“What a great win for our community,” the Tigers coach said. “This is what happens when you stay at Roseville: You get great opportunities. It’s such an amazing school with an amazing community and great tradition.”
Reinking added on team stars: “Mason Susnara’s a stud. JJ Yong is a stud. Our offensive line is the heart of our team. These guys, we’ve been talking about grit. We’ve been talking about being mentally tough, and then we were down with 2 minutes left. They just continued to fight. So proud of them.”
This story was originally published November 29, 2025 at 9:12 PM.