Since this is the last game & column of the year, I want to start by thanking some people...

To our amazing photographers, Brian Pearce & Chris Williams, who take great pictures & post them quickly for you all to enjoy.  To Dave Baker who answered the call on this website to help be a camera man during games.  I had never met Dave until this fall and he's already proven to be a major asset to the site.  To Matt Madsen who joined us in the booth 10 years ago tonight at Audubon.  He puts in a lot of time before games calling the schools and getting permission & accomodations from AD's and he gets to the games at least an hour early to set-up all the equipment.  Oh, and he's pretty solid on the broadcast too! To our owner, Owen Burgin who gives us all the freedom to post & do what we need.  And to some of you who want to stay anonymous in the background but still provide us scores & other information - thank you!

One of the reasons we do what we do... Broadcasting last night's PAL Football Championship game we had Owen Burgin watching from his hotel room in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  A St. Albert players relative was watching from Austin, TX.  Others fans from St. Albert AND St. Wenceslaus tuned in from Westside, IA, New York, NY, from Phoenix, AZ and from Atikokan Ontario, Canada...

The Seniors come into tonight's contest at 40-7 in their high school careers while being a State Finalist their Freshman & Sophomore years.  Not too shabby!

What happened this year? Some very good athletes are no longer at St. Albert.  Some kids aren't playing this year and then some injuries occured (Jon Meyerring was your TJ player of the game after running for 100+ yards & 2 TD's along with and interception & 70 yard kickoff return and he hasn't been able to play since because of injuries).  I'd say to be 5-3 right now is pretty good.

I've said many times over the years in these columns that we should all enjoy and savor the ride because it won't last forever.  After 17 straight years making the playoffs, we've come to the end of an era.

Current numbers:  The Falcons are 13th all-time for playoff appearances and 9th all-time for playoff victories.  And they'll finish tied for 4th all-time with 17 consecutive years in the playoffs.  WOWZER!

As I've written before... The last time the Falcons didn't make the playoffs? My Senior year in the Fall of 1996. We went 8-1 but lost 13-10 to Missouri Valley.  They won the District, we took 2nd and didn't get a wild card.  That's that and life does indeed move on.

I know the kids, coaches and fans are disappointed that tonight will be the last game of the year for the Falcons.  The only thing for the guys on the field to do now is go out and get the W to end on a high note.  For the young guys, remember what this feels like and let that fire burn inside of you...

For the fans.  Stay positive and avoid the negatives.  Period.

For those that got to the Falcons this year or those who enjoyed watching St. Albert struggle at times... I hoped you enjoyed it because it's not going to last long.  The future of Falcon Football continues to look VERY bright and a new era is about to begin!

Falcons win 35-31