The first-round playoff opponent proved to be no match at all for Rocklin High’s varsity girls soccer team.

The Thunder crushed visiting Johnson 7-1 in the opening round May 8. It was 6-0 at halftime.

Rocklin (16-3-3 overall) played Christian Brothers Wednesday in the Sac-Joaquin Section, Division II semifinals at Folsom High. The winner of that match advances to play either Oak Ridge or Ponderosa in the section finals at Folsom at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The Thunder led Johnson 6-0 at the half and coach Chuck Barr didn’t mind that his team didn’t have to grind out a victory.

“I think our league (Sierra Foothill League) gets us ready for the playoffs, we don’t get a break,” Barr said. “We have to play our very best every single match in our league to be successful. And it’s nice to have a game to kind of kick back and relax and take a little bit of a breather. It’s better than having that constant pressure.”

Rocklin’s Melissa Toppings scored twice in the win while teammates Steph Manstch, Savannah Coiner, Lauren Schnitzler, Morgan Thockmorton and Jessica Santos scored one goal each.

“(Johnson) probably hadn’t played anybody like us all year long,” said Barr, pointing out that Johnson placed third in the Metro League. “It’s the way it works out with the CIF, some leagues get three teams and others get two. And it was our turn to get two teams this year and they got three.”

The Rocklin reserves got plenty of playing time in the second half.

“The whole season there had been a lot of games where some kids didn’t play at all,” Barr said. “And I thought this was a good chance and maybe the only chance for them to get in a game for the rest of the year.”

Christian Brothers won the Sierra Valley Conference with a record of 8-1-1.

“They won a league that has Ponderosa and last year’s section champions Oak Ridge so obviously it’s a tough league,” Barr said. “I have seen them play and they have a qualify goalkeeper and their midfield is very sound.”