Image credit: Kamloops Rattlers

By Marty Hastings

Senior Lacrosse

Senior Kamloops Rattlers aiming to end lengthy Rowcliffe Cup drought, but in tough against favoured Kelowna Raiders

Jul 18, 2025 | 1:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Rowcliffe Cup has been elusive for the Kamloops Rattlers, the senior lacrosse club last claiming the league championship and its coveted hardware in 2010.

“It’s been a long time,” Rattlers’ president/player Chris Case said. “We’ve been to the final a few times. Three years ago, we lost in three games to Kelowna. This is the first time back since then.”

The No. 1-seed Kelowna Raiders and No. 2 Rattlers will square off in the best-of-three final, with Game 1 scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday in the Little Apple.

Kamloops is slated to host Game 2 on Sunday, a 5 p.m. start at Memorial Arena.

“It definitely gives us a better chance when we have a rowdy home crowd to cheer us on,” Case said.

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Game 3, if necessary, will take place on July 25 in Kelowna.

Kamloops finished the Thompson Okanagan Senior Lacrosse League campaign in second place and knocked off the No. 3-seed Armstrong Shamrocks in Round 1 of the post-season, earning a 2-1 victory in the best-of-three semifinal.

“It was a pretty hard-fought battle and good to have the home-floor advantage,” Case said. “They always draw a pretty big crowd and play a lot harder and tougher when they’re in Armstrong. They gave us a run for our money, but we came out on top with a really strong Game 3 to move onto the finals.”

Kelowna posted an 8-1 regular-season record and is undefeated this season against Kamloops, posting a 3-0 record against the Rattlers and outscoring them 53-16.

The Raiders swept the Vernon Tigers 2-0 in their semifinal series.

“They have a good group of guys that have been pretty committed for quite a few years now,” said Case, whose Rattlers recorded a 5-4 mark in the regular season. “This year, we’ve had some tough showings against them, but a lot of that has been due to injuries and guys working. We can definitely compete with them, but we’re going to have to come out and play. That’s for sure.”