Rocklin exacted revenge last year.

Now it’s Manteca seeking retribution.

Round 3 between these Sac-Joaquin Section heavyweights is on Friday, as top-seeded Rocklin (9-2) hosts No. 4 Manteca (10-1) in a Division II semifinal.

It’s the third time in as many years that they’ll go toe-to-toe, and it will take place at a third different site. They first met in the semifinals two years ago, with then-top seed Manteca charging back late for a 34-28 win at Guss Schmiedt Field. The Buffaloes went on to claim their ninth SJS championship and first in Division II since 2001.

Rocklin got even last year in the NorCal Honor Bowl hosted by Oak Ridge High in El Dorado Hills. The Thunder rolled to a 35-14 win and later captured its second SJS Division II crown.

Manteca’s best offensive weapon at the time, running back Bryson Davis, sat out with an elbow injury, and Rocklin exposed the Buffs’ young defensive backfield with four passing touchdowns from Reeve Slone. The Thunder scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter to run away with it.

“Defensively, we’re a little more experienced and the match-up is better for us,” Manteca coach Mark Varnum said. “This will be the third time we’ve faced them in the last three years and this is the rubber match, so we want to get it done.”

Manteca is in the semifinal round for a seventh straight season, while it’s the fourth in a row for Rocklin.

Both teams have multiple players who competed in the previous two showdowns. Most notably for Rocklin are 6-foot-7, 300-pound tackle Garrison Blank and 6-3, 270-pound interior lineman Henry Hatada. Each have earned three-star ratings and NCAA Division I offers. Blank has committed to UCLA.

“The left side of their offensive line is pretty dang good,” Varnum said. “(Blank) is a mountain of a guy and extremely athletic. Our defensive front has been lights out this season, so they’ll be up for the challenge.”

The Buffaloes’ defensive line includes fourth-year starter Isaiah White. Third-year defensive backs Eddie Anthony and Chris Chavez also took part in the last two match-ups with Rocklin.

Third-year running back/linebacker Derek Keeley is among Rocklin’s top skill-position players. He leads the way with 948 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. On defense, he has 89 tackles, four interceptions, 2.0 sacks and two rumble recoveries.

Rafi Merino (903 rushing yards, 15 TDs), Mikey Cunningham (668 receiving yards, four TDs) and Mavrik Collins (343 receiving yards, five TDs) are other key seniors for Rocklin.

Slone, a junior, has completed 63.6 % of his passes for 1,602 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. The three-star QB holds offers from Nevada and Utah State.

“They’re extremely well-coached with no real holes and no weaknesses,” Varnum said. “We have to execute from the get-go and do what we do. Hopefully we can match them athletically.”

The battle-tested Thunder placed third in the difficult Sierra Foothill League, with its losses coming against Division I semifinalists Folsom and Oak Ridge.

Last week, Rocklin stomped Elk Grove, 49-14, a team the Buffaloes downed 49-9 in Week 0. They have another common opponent in Lincoln of Stockton — Manteca waxed the Trojans 65-6, while the Thunder struck them down, 43-3.

The Buffs took care of business in their quarterfinal crushing previously-undefeated Rodriguez, 64-18.

“We were hitting on all cylinders and all three phases of the game,” Varnum said. “Real happy with our effort coming off the bye, but we obviously know Rocklin is a whole different animal.”

The other semifinal pits No. 2 St. Mary’s (9-2) against No. 3 Grant (8-3). The winners will vie for the championship and a NorCal Bowl berth on Friday, Nov. 29 at Sac City College’s Hughes Stadium.