Image credit: Kamloops RiverDogs

By Marty Hastings

B.C. CHAMPIONS

Kamloops RiverDogs make history, win BC Baseball College Prep League title

Jul 24, 2024 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Yeah Glo! by GloRilla will be pounding this weekend on Vancouver Island if the Kamloops RiverDogs have their way.

The song that has more than 47-million views on YouTube became the club’s anthem en route to a momentous victory last weekend in Nanaimo, where the RiverDogs became the first team from Kamloops to win the BC Baseball 18-and-Under College Prep Division – the top circuit in that age group in the province.

“It came on every pre-game [batting practice]. Lots of Rihanna, too,” said Grady Johnson, catcher/third-baseman for the Dogs. “Going into it with the one seed, we had a big target on our back. With the way that we were able to perform to the level we knew we could and then to get it done, especially with this small group we had, we’re excited.”

The RiverDogs finished atop league standings with a 23-10 record and edged the defending-champion Ridge Meadows Royals 3-2 in the provincial final, thanks in part to a bases-loaded double in the bottom of the fifth inning that scored two runs.

Kamloops trailed 1-0 when Ryder Corsi lashed one off the top of the right-field wall.

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“He came up clutch for us,” Johnson said. “That was a big hit for us. Honestly, that kind of took over the game for us. That was the winning run.”

Ethan Harrison pitched six-and-two-thirds of the seven-inning B.C. title tilt before handing the ball to closer Ryan James, whose strikeout sparked pandemonium.

“Honestly, I blacked out,” said Johnson, whose club avoided elimination in the round-robin stage with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Island Mariners in its final pool game. “It was all the hard work that built up to that moment paying off. It was pretty surreal.”

Added Head Coach Liam Rihela, “A lot of relief for everyone, including family and friends. It was finally over. All the emotions. I’m just so proud of those guys for what they accomplished this year and it’s nice to be able to see the seniors go out on top.”

Prior to this past weekend’s triumph, the RiverDogs’ most recent B.C championship victory in the age group came on home turf in 2011, when the club was toiling in the midget AAA division, a tier below the College Prep League.

The Dogs have one more hoop to jump through before reaching the national championship, which will take place in August in Newfoundland.

They must win a best-of-three series against the Mid-Island Pirates of the 18U BC Premier Baseball League this weekend in Nanaimo to secure a berth in nationals.

“It is a little bit different winning a B.C. provincial championship and then not really winning it, but we look to represent B.C. at nationals and we’re excited,” Johnson said.

“The playlist is already set.”

THE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

Included on the 2024 roster are Tate Spence, Ethan Harrison, Thomas Balison, Bradley Dawson, Jaxon Warr, Grady Johnson, Ryan James, Caleb Gubbels, Nash Pearce, Ryder Corsi, Ibrahim Diaou, Damon Golz and Connor Steward.

Rihela has help from assistant coach Jared Sucro.