PHOTOS: Trabuco Hills clinches CIF playoff berth with 26-21 win over Aliso Niguel

Trabuco Hills quarterback Aidan Armstrong charges into the end zone Friday night. (Photos courtesy Trabuco Hills football/Rob Cuddy, For OC Sports Zone)

Trabuco Hills football team defeated Aliso Niguel 26-21 Friday night at Aliso Niguel to clinch second place in the Sea View League and a CIF Division 8 playoff berth.

It’s the first trip to the CIF playoffs since 2014 for the Mustangs (6-4, 2-2). Aliso Niguel (7-3, 2-2) is also expected to advance to the playoffs. San Juan Hills (7-3, 4-0) is the league’s No. 1 representative in the playoffs.

To see the slide show, please click on the first photo

Aliso Niguel was the top-seeded team in Division 8 last week.

Kicker Luke Holland got the scoring going for the Mustangs with a 34-yard field goal on the opening drive to make it 3-0.

Aliso went three and out and aligned to punt, but the Mustangs’ linebacker Chris Crow blocked the punt and returned it 15 yards for a a touchdown to put Trabuco Hills ahead 10-0 after one quarter.

Aliso Niguel began a long drive into Mustang territory but turned the ball over on downs after an incomplete pass on fourth down.

Wolverines quarterback Kyle Kylckelhahn came into the game fourth in the county in passing and had only throw three interceptions all season. The Mustangs did not allow him to throw a touchdown pass and recorded two interceptions.

The ensuing drive was led by Mustang quarterback Aiden Armstrong. After several long runs, Armstrong ran an option keep in from two yards out for a touchdown to put Trabuco Hills ahead 17-0.

Kylckelhahn answered by breaking off several long runs all night on quarterback scrambles. Kylckelhahn ran it in from 15 yards out and finished the game with all three of Aliso Niguel’s TD runs.

Just before the half Trabuco Hills kicker Luke Holland hit a 30-yard field goal to make the score 20-7 at halftime.

Aliso Niguel received the second half kickoff and drove right down the field and scored on a Kylckelhahn sneak to cut the lead to 20-14.

After a Trabuco Hills punt, Anthony Raugi intercepted a pass. The Mustangs couldn’t capitalize however and turned the ball over on downs. Crow then recorded another interception.

This time, Trabuco Hills took advantage of the short field position and Drew Barrett ran it in from one yard out to give Trabuo Hills a 26-14 lead after three quarters.

Kylckelhahn later led another drive, capping it off with a 10 yard TD run to cut the lead to 26-21.

Trabuco Hills’ offense ran off several minutes of clock but eventually had to punt.

Aliso Niguel had time for one last drive and Kylckelhahn led the Wolverines, both passing and running. Kylckelhahn ran down to the 3 yard line with 1.6 seconds to go. On the last play of the game Kylckelhahn’s pass, intended for Caleb Peterson, fell incomplete.

Trabuco Hills has been 2-8 the last three seasons and is now 6-4 and playoff bound for the first time since its CIF championship in 2014.

—Courtesy Trabuco Hills football