Image credit: CFJC Today/Anthony Corea

By Marty Hastings

ON THE GRIDIRON

South Kamloops Titans touting vicious air attack ahead of provincial semifinal

Nov 21, 2025 | 12:08 PM

KAMLOOPS — No team from South Kamloops Secondary or its previous iteration, Kam High, has reached a provincial high school football final since 1994.

The school has not won a B.C. pigskin title since 1990, when the Kam High Red Devils knocked off the Centennial Centaurs 36-18 at BC Place in Vancouver.

This year, the South Kamloops Titans are in with a shot of bringing high school football glory back to the Tournament Capital.

The Titans, ranked seventh heading into the B.C. School Sports AA Boys Football Championship, dispatched the No. 2 John Barsby Bulldogs 49-41 last weekend in a provincial quarter-final matchup.

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“I think we might be the most dangerous offensive team in AA football,” said Titans’ quarterback Cole Rigler, who was 28-for-33, with five touchdowns and one interception against Barsby.

“I think that just proved it. It was the No. 10-ranked team in the country and we were able to throw for 400 yards on that team.”

South Kam will square off against the No. 3 Argyle Pipers of North Vancouver on Sunday, a 2:30 p.m. start at BC Place in Vancouver.

“It’s one of those things that we talk about on the first day of practice — the goal is to get to BC Place,” Titans’ head coach Jesse Rigler said. “These kids have never had that experience, so to be able to help them get there has been the joy of my year.”

Argyle can expect a heavy dose of the pass, but the Titans’ bench boss said his team will not be one dimensional.

“When we show up against Argyle, they’ll probably have the smallest box that we’ve played against all year,” Jesse Rigler said. “Their linebackers are athletic, but they’re not big and strong. And it’s the same thing with their D-line. They don’t have that big, menacing D-line that Barsby has, so we’re putting some stuff in today to sort of deal with that.”

South Kam’s defence will be in tough against Argyle, who rolled to a 41-14 triumph over No. 6 Ballenas of Parksville in a provincial semifinal tilt last weekend in North Vancouver.

The Titans defence had its moments against Barsby, with free safety Mason Gozda taking an interception to the house early in the second half.

“It’s the best feeling ever,” Gozda said. “I was actually crazy nervous about it. It was my first pick-six. I saw my one defensive lineman running up making a great block. I was like, ‘Oh God, I’m going to take this all the way to the house.’ Then, I just kind of got a little cocky in the end zone, made a little flex motion. No one was there to see it, though, so it was a little sad.”

South Kam ended Argyle’s season last year, vanquishing the Pipers in double overtime in the quarter-final round.

The No. 1 Vernon Panthers and No. 5 Mt. Douglas of Victoria will clash in the other semifinal, a noon start on Sunday in BC Place.

Vernon skewered visiting South Kamloops 49-14 in their only meeting of the regular season on Oct. 18.

“If we play our game, the belief is to beat Vernon in the final,” Gozda said. “If we can do that, that would be a great way to end my senior career.”