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Kamloops College Prep Riverdogs win 2024 18U Provincial title

Jon Keen
Jul 23, 2024 | 3:39 PM


Kamloops College Prep Riverdogs win 2024 18U Provincial title

The Kamloops 18U College Prep Riverdogs with a provincial banner. (Photo via Kamloops Minor Baseball Association)

It came right down to 90 feet, but the Kamloops College Prep Riverdogs held on to win the Provincial 18 & Under championship this past weekend in Nanaimo.

The top-seeded Kamloops crew beat Ridge Meadows 3-2 in the final, with the Royals’ tying run left stranded at third base as the Riverdogs recorded the final out.

Parents and fans of the Kamloops team could be heard erupting on a video that was posted to social media as the final out was recorded.

“We travelled well with parents, there was a lot of relatives on the Island that came out to support us. It’s a cool video to see, and really nice to have that support,” Riverdogs Head Coach Liam Rihela told NL Sports.

“Just the raw emotion of it all, it was great.”

The Riverdogs were beaten 2-0 by North Fraser in the opening game of the tournament Friday though they won their next four en route to victory. That included a 4-1 win over Ridge Meadows and a 3-2 win over Vancouver Island in the round-robin stages, and a 5-2 win over Kelowna in the semi-final.

“It was an exciting weekend for us. We had to deal with some adversity. It took everyone to contribute and we got it done,” Rihela added.

The Riverdogs finished with a 27-11 record through the regular season and playoffs, including provincials.

They’re heading back to Nanaimo for a best-of-three series against the Mid-Island Pirates from the BC Premier Baseball League this weekend. The winner of that series will earn the right to represent British Columbia at the National 18U Tournament in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“It’s a few extra ferry trips, but we’re excited,” Rihela said. “We know what’s on the line.”