There’s no missing Link at Newport

ROGER CARLSON

Like the theory that you can’t judge a game by the first drive, you

can’t judge a season by the first one.

So here’s where we stand at this point.

Newport Harbor -- What an impressive reaction to a 14-0 deficit

early in the first quarter against Corona del Mar en route to a 29-14

victory Friday night at Orange Coast College.

It was reminiscent of the 1992 conquest of Rubidoux in the CIF

playoffs when Sammy Knight scored two touchdowns to pace a 14-0

start, only to see Harbor rally to post a 28-14 victory at the same

site.

The 3-0 Sailors, however, had better take very good care of

game-breaker Spencer Link.

Running back Matt Encinias, fullback Trevor Theriot and

quarterback Kasey Peters, along with Link, and a swarming defense

have Sailors’ faithful doing a lot of thinking, and dreaming.

Corona del Mar -- Is there a more exciting brothers combination

around than Tom and Kevin Welch? You’ll be able to say the same thing

in January (basketball) and March (volleyball).

This is the most impressive CdM eleven since perhaps 1995, and one

wonders what may have been without the Link factor for Newport.

The Sea Kings are 2-1 and obviously in the Pacific Coast League

hunt. Disappointed with Friday’s result, of course, but they had

little to hang their heads about. Clearly a playoff contender.

Costa Mesa -- After wasting their first start, as they did a year

ago against Corona del Mar, the Mustangs showed some significant

tendencies in their 33-16 victory over Huntington Beach and are now

2-1.

The first eye-opener was an in-your-face tirade by Coach Dave

Perkins early in the first quarter when he went slightly ballistic

with one of his premier backs. If anyone in the area didn’t have his

head in the game up to that point, he surely got the message.

Sometimes it takes something like that to put a bee in a sensitive

area.

But what really woke me up came deep in the second quarter when

the Mustangs, with a 17-10 lead, went back to punt from their own 32

on fourth-and-too much and a minute and change left.

Out of nowhere came a fake punt and deep pass to a streaking

receiver down the sidelines. The pass was right on, but the wide open

receiver, who could have walked from midfield to the end zone had he

caught it, dropped it.

What a tipoff to the Mustangs’ mind-set, taking “aggressive” to a

new level.

Mesa showed many attributes of a potential repeat league champion,

including a pass defense. Friday’s 41-13 romp at Laguna Beach

cemented the notion.

Estancia -- First-year coach Craig Fertig obviously didn’t get

everything accomplished preparing for Century as he held forefingers

in his ears as he and his Eagles took the field before posting their

second straight victory.

Apparently he was unable to find any sheet music for the band and

instead of the hoped-for “Conquest” for the ex-USC quarterback, he

got a somewhat butchered UCLA tune.

Hey, nobody’s expecting perfection. Just a miracle or two will do.

Although the 22-20 nonleague victory got off to a pretty shaky

start, nine flags in the first six minutes, which if maintained

throughout would have probably set a world’s record, all’s well that

ends well.

The Eagles posted their second straight “sweep,” the freshmen team

posting a 14-7 win and the junior varsity winning, 18-14.

Friday’s 27-6 loss to Katella, however, showed there is still a

lot to do.

*

The annual Battle for the Bell, the celebrated high school

football rivalry between Costa Mesa and Estancia, has been moved up

24 hours and will be played on Thursday night, Oct. 30, as opposed to

the original date of Halloween night.

It seems there’s enough pressure without adding the boogey man to

the scenario, so the powers to be have perhaps eased the mix when the

two rivals square off at Orange Coast College.

All things considered, a good move.

The Newport-Mesa District was trying to drag Newport Harbor into

the scenario as well, but an attempt to move the Sailors’ homecoming

game from Oct. 31 to Oct. 30 was squelched when Irvine School

District came to the rescue with a solid balk.

Irvine, with five Thursday night games already on the agenda,

wasn’t buying the Halloween theory at all. A great non-move.

Don’t be surprised to see Northwood of the Pacific Coast League

changing places with the Sea View League’s Irvine, soon. Perhaps as

early as September 2004.

*

Finally, I’d like to say something a lot of people have been

waiting to say since 1968: “Mater Dei is 0-for-3.”

Hey! See you next Sunday!

* ROGER CARLSON is the former sports editor for the Daily Pilot.

His column appears on Sundays. He can be reached by e-mail at

rogeranddorothea@msn.com