I didn’t know Falcons flew north for the winter

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While on my never-ending pursuit for all-league teams, I called Palmdale’s football coach and athletic director, Jeff Williams. I didn’t find out much about who made the eight-school AV dream team, but I was perplexed when Williams told me he was in Canada.

At first, I was thinking, ‘Is forced banishment to the Great White North the de facto punishment for football coaches who can’t win their divisional final?’

But then Williams quickly told me something I already should have known. The Palmdale boys’ and girls’ basketball teams were playing in a three-day tournament at Jasper Place High School in Edmonton, Alberta. The tournament features teams from the U.S., Canada and Australia and, like any good AD, Williams decided to pack his parka and take in the action.

The Palmdale girls lost to Regina (Sask.) Leboldus, 70-63, in the first round Thursday and the Falcons’ boys also fell to Leboldus, 95-76. Check out this website for all the latest scores and info from the invitational.

Williams said he’d do what he could to get the all-league team to me as soon as possible. That’s what makes him one of the best ADs around.

-- Austin Knoblauch