Spencer Link

Patrick Laverty

Nothing can change an emotionally charged game more than a big play

and none were bigger than Spencer Link’s two touchdown receptions in

Newport Harbor’s 29-14 victory over Corona del Mar in the 42nd

edition of the Battle of the Bay Friday.

Link’s 43-yard reception with 12 seconds remaining in the first

quarter cut into the Sea Kings’ 14-0 lead and his 58-yard touchdown

with 52 seconds remaining in the third quarter pushed Newport

Harbor’s advantage to 22-14.

Both touchdowns were a little bit of junior quarterback Kasey

Peters and a whole lot of Link.

The junior playmaker turned a pair of short passes into two long

touchdowns, as has become customary ever since Link joined the

varsity team during his freshman year.

“I want to catch every ball first and then I’ll see what I can do

about making it a big play,” Link said.

The Sailors needed a big play after Corona del Mar’s own standout

wide receiver, Kevin Welch, had scored two touchdowns within the

game’s first five minutes.

Link grew up playing Jr. All-American football with Welch and many

other Sea Kings and he knew he needed to answer. He didn’t want them

holding bragging rights for an entire year.

“Exactly,” Link said. “It was 14-0. I did not want to lose.”

By paying keen attention to how the Sea Kings secondary had been

playing him in the first quarter, Link was able to make his move

after catching a pass from Peters on a short hitch pattern.

“I noticed the first time I ran a hitch, they were playing me to

my outside shoulder,” Link said. “So I just cut in. I guess [the

cornerback] fell down, I just ran down the field.”

The 43-yard touchdown changed the game’s momentum and showed how

Link has matured as a receiver over the last two years.

A running back in youth football and in his freshman year at

Newport Harbor, the 5-foot-9, 171-pound Link was moved to wide

receiver as a sophomore. He flourished statistically, finishing with

42 catches for 691 yards and nine touchdowns, despite playing the

entire season with a dislocated shoulder. But he also spent much of

the year learning to recognize defenses, like he did on his first

touchdown against Corona del Mar.

“I was new to the position,” Link said. “I didn’t know there was

so much to it. It’s not just go out and catch the ball. It’s a lot

more than that.”

While knowing all the intricacies help, so does the ability to

make things happen when seemingly nothing exists. That’s what Link

was able to do on his second touchdown reception Friday.

Link took a short downfield pass from Peters, put a fake on his

defender, then cut all the way across the field before cutting up the

sideline on his way to a 58-yard score that actually covered about 90

yards.

“It was an X-in,” Link said. “I just wanted to get the first down.

In my head, I said, catch the ball, catch the ball. I caught the ball

and I knew they thought I was going to turn it up. So I just gave

them a little fake trying to get a little bit of extra yardage and I

saw an alleyway.”

The 145 yards receiving were a career-high for Link, who had two

100-yard games as a sophomore. It was the third time in his career he

has scored two touchdowns in a game, a number surpassed only once,

when he scored three touchdowns on three receptions in a

season-opening victory over Trabuco Hills this season.

Through three games this year, the Daily Pilot High School Player

of the Week has 11 receptions for 252 yards and five touchdowns. He’s

also carried five times for 19 yards.

With his athletic ability, a move back to running back next

season, after current tailback Matt Encinias graduates, is a

possibility.

“That’s up to the coaches,” Link said. “I’ll play any position.”

Right now, lined up as a wide receiver, Link is as big a threat to

score on any play as any other player on the field.