Trabuco Hills Gets Chance to Take Another Step Up

Trabuco Hills High School’s football program, which has become a little better each season since it began playing on the varsity level in 1986, looks to take another step forward tonight. The Mustangs (8-2) have a chance to win their first playoff game. They play Yucaipa (4-5-1) at 7:30 at Mission Viejo High School in a first-round Southern Section Division VIII game.

Trabuco Hills made the playoffs for the first time last season after finishing third in the Pacific Coast League but lost to La Sierra, 41-6, in the first round.

This season, Trabuco Hills won the league championship by defeating Woodbridge, 17-13, last week and advanced into the playoffs as the league’s top-seeded team.

Trabuco Hills is led on defense by safeties Tim Manning and Rick Sparks, who tied for the Orange County lead in interceptions with eight. David Gutierrez of La Habra also had 8.

Manning, a junior, and Chad DeYoung tied for the team lead in receptions with 37. Manning had 759 yards in receptions and DeYoung 441.