Or perhaps better known as Falcons Take Flight. Remember, you've entered THE "No-Hate Zone." *smile*

Here goes:

Boys
 1. Seoul American, 37-6. Falcons 7-0 since New Years Classic.
 2. Kadena (Okinawa), 26-11. Jamil Barney's excellent adventure continues; Panthers win Okinawa-American Shootout.
 3. Zama American (Japan), 19-3. Eight straight wins.
 4. Seoul Foreign,16-4. Stubbed toe against Seoul American; still strong against everybody else.
 5. American School In Japan, 8-1. Can they keep up the pace?. 
 6. Kubasaki (Okinawa), 20-11. A question of which Dragons team shows up on which days.
 7, E.J. King (Japan), 13-5. Fourth straight Western Japan Athletic Association title.

Indeed. Seoul Foreign's longtime coach and athletics director J.P. Rader confirmed in a phone call Saturday that yes, the Crusaders will make their first appearance in a DODDS-Pacific Far East basketball tournament since 1993.

The Crusaders have a long, rich history in DODDS-Pacific tournaments.

They won a pair of Class AA championships in the late 1970s, then when their enrollment dropped, Seoul Foreign enjoyed comparative success at the Class A level, winning the title in 1986, '87, '91 and '93 before joining the Asia-Pacific Activities Conference in 1996.

Welcome back, J.P. and the Crusaders. You have been missed!

Somebody might wish to keep one defender on senior guard Brandon Spencer at all times during next month's postseason tournaments in Korea.

Spencer has averaged 30 points in the last four games, three of them victories, as Daegu American improved to 7-4 on the season Friday with a 73-50 road win at Osan American.

And don't think Spencer is a one-dimensional type. He can fill the nets, but he also grabbed 14 rebounds and dished out six assists. Otherwise, his point totals might have been other-worldly.

Army Pvt. Nick Madaras often saw children playing soccer with old balls or even tin cans while deployed to Iraq. The Wilton, Conn., native asked his parents to send used balls to distribute to Iraqi children. But Madaras was killed in action in September 2006 before the request could be fulfilled.

ESPN's "SportsCenter" will honor the memory of Madaras and tell the story of how another Wilton resident saw to it that Madaras' wish would be done -- 1,500 soccer balls have been sent from Connecticut to Koresh, Iraq, in Madaras' honor.

A day or so late, but keep in mind, two teams played all the way into Sunday at the 14th Martin Luther King Invitational Tournament. Remember, this is THE "No-Hate Zone." *smile*

Jackie Kershaw had quite the weekend in the Martin Luther King Invitational Basketball Tournament's revival.

Not only did she help lead Camp Red Cloud to the title 68-51 over Okinawa Mystics with 15 points and five steals. That came less than a day after she and four others rushed to the side of referee John Zivic, who suffered an on-court heart attack in a Sunday men's game.

Referees can be taken for granted ... until one isn't there.

With 2:42 left in the first half of Sunday's winner's bracket final of the 14th Martin Luther King Invitational Basketball Tournament, veteran referee John Zivic suffered an on-court heart attack.

He remained in critical condition Wednesday at Urasoe General Hospital.

Don't look now, but a pair of previously sleeping giants have awakened. And if they keep up their current pace, the rest of the Far East high school girls basketball circuit may end up on notice.

Sophomore Jamie Cheniault, newly installed point guard, averaged 14.3 points in three games, all victories, as Daegu American improved to 6-4 on the season, twice beating Korea International and topping Yongsan International-Seoul.

That's six straight victories, after opening the season with two defeats each to Seoul American and Seoul Foreign.

And two of last week's three games came on a lengthy road trip.

High school wrestling on Okinawa has resembled the pendulum in my folks old grandfather clock.

First, Kubasaki wins 90 of the first 91 Okinawa Activities Council dual meets dating back to 1982. Then, Kadena wins nine straight. Last season, Kubasaki swept the season series.

Now, the pendulum swings back in Kadena's favor after Wednesday's 40-19 victory at the Dragons' Den.

What a wild way to welcome the New Year.

Two buzzer-beating basketball finishes and an Eagles wrestling team soaring to unexpected heights at Yokosuka Naval Base, and the FIFTH overtime basketball game of the year.

First, a hearty welcome back to the Nile C. Kinnick Invitational "Beast of the Far East" Wrestling Tournament at Yokosuka Naval Base.

Kadena's championship in the dual-meet tournament may have been expected. What wasn't was the flight of Robert D. Edgren's Eagles to third place -- Edgren's highest finish in any Pacificwide wrestling tournament in school history.