Lathrop is back in the semifinal round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs after notching arguably the biggest win in program history Friday in Placer County.

In a duel between 9-1 league champions, the fifth-seeded Spartans outlasted No. 4 Lincoln 28-21 in a physical struggle that had some chippy moments.

Senior fullback Pablo Peña pushed Lathrop ahead for good with a 3-yard touchdown with 2:13 remaining. Daryion Reyno then completed a pass to Humza Habibi on the conversion.

Special teams helped put it away on the ensuing kickoff, as Eliseo Lopez recovered a perfect pooch kick from Diego Alvarez. The Spartans ended it with seven run plays, including two kneel-downs from Reyno.

Peña finished with 121 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries. Treydon Santos ran for 87 yards on 10 carries, including a 52-yard jaunt in the final minute of the first half. Lathrop capitalized on the opportunity, as Reyno (4-of-5, 52 yards) hit Habibi up the middle for a 29-yard touchdown that gave the Western Athletic Conference champion a 14-7 halftime lead.

Habibi also keyed the Spartans’ go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter, returning a kickoff 28 yards to the Lincoln 42.

Malachi Gonzales contributed six carries for 36 yards. Lathrop totaled 292 yards against 223 for Lincoln (10-2), the Pioneer Valley League champion.

Brock Galer led the Fighting Zebras with two touchdowns, rushing seven times for 52 yards. Quarterback Eli Duff completed 11 of 14 passes for 126 yards and rushed for 28 yards and a touchdown.

Lathrop will next head to top-seeded Casa Roble (10-1) of Orangevale in what is a rematch of their second-round showdown in 2023.