Palmdale aims to take showdown vs. Valencia
Sept. 4, 2015
By ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
PALMDALE - Palmdale and Valencia are kings of their leagues, with the Falcons back-to-back-to-back Golden League champions who haven't lost a league game since 2011, while the Vikings have won six straight Foothill League titles.
When it comes to dominance in the rivalry between the best of the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita Valley, however, the Vikings (0-0) have treated the Falcons (1-0) very much like a league rival, winning seven of the last eight yearly matchups.
"We haven't beat them in I don't know how long," Palmdale sophomore Richard Newton said.
That would be since Aug. 31, 2012, when a 35-21 win at Valencia snapped a five-game losing streak in the series for the Falcons.
In this year's edition, which kicks off tonight at 7:30 at Palmdale High, the Falcons will look to build on a 14-6 Week Zero win at Ridgecrest Burroughs to try to topple the powerful Vikings, who'll be playing their first game of the season.
"It's a big measuring stick for us," Palmdale head coach Jeff Williams said.
Although lopsided in the win-loss column, the games have been anything but, particularly the last few years.
After Palmdale's last win, Valencia retaliated with a 29-20 win in the AV in 2013. A year later, the Vikings and Falcons combined to score two touchdowns apiece in the first few minutes of the first quarter before Valencia pulled away late.
"It's not like we're getting blown out," said Williams, in his 26th season at the helm of the Falcons. "We're blowing our own foot off is what we're doing. Eliminate the mistakes and we can play with anybody."
During its victory against the Burros, Palmdale limited the home team to two field goals and scored touchdowns on a Jordan Bowden long rush and a Newton kickoff return.
Against senior quarterback Cole Parkinson, who in 2014 burned them for three passing TDs, and Valencia, the Falcons will need a similar defensive performance and to limit errors. The offense will likely have to put up better numbers also.
Easier said than done.
"We can't have misalignments, we can't have missed coverages, we can't have blown assignments and we have to be sure-tacklers," Williams said. "We have to avoid costly penalties on first and second down."
Both teams have lost big playmakers from last season in running back Dameon Baber for Palmdale and wide receiver Jay Jay Wilson for Valencia. But both have returning quarterbacks.
Palmdale's senior signal-caller Nathaniel Myles will look to have a breakout game in search of an upset of the SCV team.
"We're the underdogs," Myles said. "We got to fight and prove a lot of people wrong."
Many of Myles' senior teammates feel the same way. Although it's only a non-league game early in the year, there's something special about this one.
Playing in front of their home crowd, the Falcons would love to take down Valencia in their farewell season.
"I've never beaten Valencia before. I feel like this is my last chance so I'm going to give it all that I have to go out there and beat them," said senior Cedric Wesson.
The game will be the second of three tough non-league matchups for the Falcons in preparation for Golden League play.
In Week 2, Palmdale will pay a visit to the defending Valley Mission League champion Sylmar Spartans.
"That's what our preseason is all about, playing teams that have a better power ranking than us," Williams said. "We're not going to play any softies because we want to be ready for league and I think that formula's been working for us for about the last 20 years."
Win or lose, the Vikings are sure to test the limits of the Falcons once again and make them a better team in the long run, which is the ultimate goal for this game.
But a victory sure would be sweet for the creme of the crop of high school football in the AV.
"To beat Valencia would be huge," Newton said.
By ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
PALMDALE - Palmdale and Valencia are kings of their leagues, with the Falcons back-to-back-to-back Golden League champions who haven't lost a league game since 2011, while the Vikings have won six straight Foothill League titles.
When it comes to dominance in the rivalry between the best of the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita Valley, however, the Vikings (0-0) have treated the Falcons (1-0) very much like a league rival, winning seven of the last eight yearly matchups.
"We haven't beat them in I don't know how long," Palmdale sophomore Richard Newton said.
That would be since Aug. 31, 2012, when a 35-21 win at Valencia snapped a five-game losing streak in the series for the Falcons.
In this year's edition, which kicks off tonight at 7:30 at Palmdale High, the Falcons will look to build on a 14-6 Week Zero win at Ridgecrest Burroughs to try to topple the powerful Vikings, who'll be playing their first game of the season.
"It's a big measuring stick for us," Palmdale head coach Jeff Williams said.
Although lopsided in the win-loss column, the games have been anything but, particularly the last few years.
After Palmdale's last win, Valencia retaliated with a 29-20 win in the AV in 2013. A year later, the Vikings and Falcons combined to score two touchdowns apiece in the first few minutes of the first quarter before Valencia pulled away late.
"It's not like we're getting blown out," said Williams, in his 26th season at the helm of the Falcons. "We're blowing our own foot off is what we're doing. Eliminate the mistakes and we can play with anybody."
During its victory against the Burros, Palmdale limited the home team to two field goals and scored touchdowns on a Jordan Bowden long rush and a Newton kickoff return.
Against senior quarterback Cole Parkinson, who in 2014 burned them for three passing TDs, and Valencia, the Falcons will need a similar defensive performance and to limit errors. The offense will likely have to put up better numbers also.
Easier said than done.
"We can't have misalignments, we can't have missed coverages, we can't have blown assignments and we have to be sure-tacklers," Williams said. "We have to avoid costly penalties on first and second down."
Both teams have lost big playmakers from last season in running back Dameon Baber for Palmdale and wide receiver Jay Jay Wilson for Valencia. But both have returning quarterbacks.
Palmdale's senior signal-caller Nathaniel Myles will look to have a breakout game in search of an upset of the SCV team.
"We're the underdogs," Myles said. "We got to fight and prove a lot of people wrong."
Many of Myles' senior teammates feel the same way. Although it's only a non-league game early in the year, there's something special about this one.
Playing in front of their home crowd, the Falcons would love to take down Valencia in their farewell season.
"I've never beaten Valencia before. I feel like this is my last chance so I'm going to give it all that I have to go out there and beat them," said senior Cedric Wesson.
The game will be the second of three tough non-league matchups for the Falcons in preparation for Golden League play.
In Week 2, Palmdale will pay a visit to the defending Valley Mission League champion Sylmar Spartans.
"That's what our preseason is all about, playing teams that have a better power ranking than us," Williams said. "We're not going to play any softies because we want to be ready for league and I think that formula's been working for us for about the last 20 years."
Win or lose, the Vikings are sure to test the limits of the Falcons once again and make them a better team in the long run, which is the ultimate goal for this game.
But a victory sure would be sweet for the creme of the crop of high school football in the AV.
"To beat Valencia would be huge," Newton said.