Kamloops ends Vernon Panthers’ 5-year conference regular-season winning streak

Kamloops ends Vernon Panthers’ 5-year conference regular-season winning streak

Published 11:51 am Thursday, October 15, 2026

All good things, it is said, must come to an end.

That’s of little consolation to the Vernon Panthers.

The Cats suffered their first regular-season senior varsity Interior AA Football Conference loss in nearly five years Saturday, Oct. 10, falling 31-13 in Kamloops to the Westsyde Blue Wave.

The last time the Panthers lost a regular-season conference game was Oct. 15, 2021, when they dropped a 7-6 decision to the now-defunct South Kamloops Titans.

After that, VSS rattled off 17 straight regular-season conference wins, and have appeared in the last three AA provincial finals, winning two championships.

With the loss, the Panthers fall from the No. 1 ranking, and are now ranked No. 4. Nanaimo’s John Barsby Bulldogs are now No. 1 while Westsyde jumps from No. 6 to No. 2.

Vernon’s Clarence Fulton Maroons, who had a Thanksgiving weekend bye, remain at No. 9.

Bennett Friesen opened the scoring against Westsyde for VSS. The Blue Wave would respond to pull to within one point, and Brock Warner kept it 7-6 Vernon by blocking the point-after kick attempt.

Westsyde scored two more touchdowns to take an 18-7 lead before Friesen got the Cats to within one score with his second major. The point-after attempt was no good, keeping the score at 18-13 Blue Wave.

The home side added two more non-converted touchdowns for a 31-13 victory.

• In Salmon Arm, the hometown Golds edged Vernon/Coldstream’s Seaton/Kalamalka Sonics 14-13.

• At Greater Vernon Athletic Park, the host Pleasant Valley Hawks of Armstrong fell 40-6 to the visiting College Heights Cougars of Prince George in an exhibition game.

The Hawks had three quarterback sacks against the fifth-ranked Cougars, all coming from Ryder Rodger.

Quarterback Lewis De Boer had PVSS’ lone touchdown, coming on a 50-yard run off a quarterback sneak.

De Boer, Keiran McLeod, Cole Canning, and Ben Howes were given PVSS game balls for their efforts by the coaching staff.

COMING UP

• The Maroons host the Salmon Arm Golds Friday, Oct. 16. Game time is 5 p.m. at GVAP.

• The Panthers were to play Pleasant Valley but the Hawks have cancelled the game which was to have been played Friday at 7:30 p.m. at GVAP. VSS then has a bye before returning to action Friday, Oct. 30, against the Sonics.

• PVSS is next scheduled to play Saturday, Oct. 24, at GVAP against Salmon Arm.

• Seaton/Kalamalka will host College Heights in an exhibition contest Saturday, Oct. 17, at 12 p.m. at GVAP.

JUNIOR VARSITY

The Vernon Panthers doubled the Seaton/Kalamalka Sonics 28-14 Wednesday, Oct. 14, at GVAP.

Two unanswered touchdowns from Gavin Chenoweth snapped a 14-14 tie and propelled Vernon to the victory.

Seaton/Kal opened the scoring, then tied the game 14-14 early in the third quarter.

Karson Mackus and Davis Gordon had first-half touchdowns for the Panthers.