Calgary hosts bantam football provincial finals during Grey Cup weekend

While Canada’s biggest football game of the year is being played in Calgary this weekend between the Edmonton Elks and Montreal Alouettes, it is not the only major football event taking place in the city.

On Saturday, Shouldice Athletic Park will be the site will be the site of two bantam (aged 13- to 15-years-old) provincial finals.

Two of the Calgary Bantam Football Association’s (CBFA) teams — Calgary Wildcats and Airdrie Raiders — will host their own Grey Cup equivalent game.

Tier II: Airdrie Raiders vs. Sylvan Lake Lions

Starting at 12:30 p.m. on Stampeder Field, the Calgary Bantam Football Association’s (CBFA) Division 2 champions — Airdrie Raiders — will host the Central Alberta Football League’s champion — Sylvan Lake Lions — in the Provincial Tier II Final.

The Raiders are looking to claim their second straight provincial title after defeating the Leduc Ti-Cats in Sherwood Park in 2025, in the Tier I final. That victory was the first time the Raiders had won provincials.

The Airdrie side made their way to provincials by finishing fifth in the CBFA standings, with a 5-4 record, before winning their semi-final matchup against the Colts, and narrowly defeating the Mavericks 18-16 to take the CBFA Division 2 title — the Division 2 Championship in Memory of Brian Attoe.

On Nov. 7, the Raiders hosted the Brooks Roadrunners in the provincial semi-finals, marking the first time since 2016 that the CBFA had played for the Tier II title due to Football Alberta restructuring of the provincial tiers.

The Raiders opened the scoring on the opening drive of the game, marching the field after recovering their own kickoff.

They increased their lead when a receiver ran the ball 34 yards downfield scoring a touchdown; however, the convert was missed, making the score 13-0.

In the third quarter, they added a rouge to their tally, when the Roadrunners failed to return a punt out of the endzone, making the score 14-0.

In the fourth quarter, they found the end zone again on a beautiful passing play through the uprights to the receiver. Another missed convert meant the score was now 20-0.

Following an interception, the Raiders would march the field with a few long runs, before capping the drive with a three-yard touchdown pass.

The final score was Airdrie Raiders 27-0 over the Brooks Roadrunners.

Meanwhile the Raiders’ opponents, the Sylvan Lake Lions, won the Central Division, before defeating the Capital District Minor Football Association’s (CDMFA) Lloydminster Raiders 35-6.

Tier I: Calgary Wildcats vs. Raymond Comets

Following the Tier II Final, Stampeder Field will also host the Tier I Provincial Final between the CBFA’s Division 1 champions — Calgary Wildcats — and the Southern Alberta Minor Football Association’s (SAMFA) champions — Raymond Comets.

The Wildcats are making their first trip to the Tier I Provincial Final since they lost to the Sherwood Park Rams in 2003.

The Calgary side made their way to provincials after topping the CBFA standings with a 9-0 record, before defeating the Cochrane Lions in their semi-final matchup, before defeating the Cowboys 52-0 to take the CBFA Division 1 title — the Les Ferguson Memorial Trophy.

On Nov. 7, the Wildcats hosted the CDMFA’s Spruce Grove Cougars in the provincial semi-finals, and treated fans to a thrilling game.

Spruce Grove opened the scoring on their first drive of the game in a drive that took nearly eight minutes off the clock. The Cougars would miss their convert and only led 6-0.

The Wildcats would try to answer on their first drive, which started with a 43-yard passing play; however, the drive ended up stalling after that and the Cougars were able to regain possession.

To start the second quarter, the Wildcats were finally able to answer when their quarterback ran the ball 21 yards into the endzone, giving them the lead 7-6.

The Cougars would quickly answer with a long return on the kickoff, getting the ball up to the Calgary five yard line. Three tries later, the Cougars punched the ball into the endzone, and regained the lead before adding a two-point conversion, making it 14-7.

The Wildcats would immediately answer with a 52-yard passing touchdown over the middle of the field, tying the game at 14.

Following a Cougars two-and-out, the Wildcats would again capitalize on a long pass over the middle, this time for a 50-yard touchdown.

On the Wildcats’ next drive, they were looking like they were going to score another major, but a receiver fumbled the ball and it bounced off a Cougars defender before going out of bounds, giving Spruce Grove the ball at their own two. A couple of plays later, the Cougars would give up a safety, increasing the Wildcats lead to 23-14 before halftime.

Things slowed in the second half. The Wildcats added a pick six in the third quarter before adding a 47-yard passing touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The final score was Calgary Wildcats 37-14 over the Spruce Grove Cougars.

Meanwhile the Wildcats’ opponents, the Raymond Comets, won the SAMFA championship, before defeating the CDMFA’s Tier I champion — the West Edmonton Raiders — 71-0 in a game that was 64-0 at halftime.

The Comets are one of the most successful teams in the province at the bantam level, having won seven Tier I titles in 13 finals appearance, only second behind the Sherwood Park Rams, who have nine titles in 13 finals apperances.

Raymond last won provincials in 2024, when they defeated the Airdrie Raiders at home.

Kickoff between the Wildcats and Comets is at 4 p.m.

Chiefs win first provincial title

On Nov. 8, the CBFA’s Chiefs Community Football Association claimed their first ever provincial title when they defeated the North Edmonton Seahawks 36-12 at Clarke Stadium in Edmonton.

The game marked the first time the Chiefs — who are based in Chestermere and northeast Calgary — had even made it to a provincial game.

The Chiefs had a slow start to their season, but capped it off with a Week 9 victory over the Bulldogs, before meeting and defeating the Bulldogs two weeks later, to take home the CBFA’s Division 3 championship — the Brock Jacobs Award. Unlike this year, the Chiefs previous two Division 3 titles — 2018 and 2023 — did not earn them a provincial game.

Sunday’s Tier IV final started rough for the Chiefs as the Seahawks recovered their own kickoff and started to march the field, but the drive fizzled out, and the Chiefs offense got to work.

Following several passing and running plays, the Chiefs found themselves on the board first when they scored a touchdown and they didn’t look back.

On the following kickoff, the Chiefs would force a fumble and recover the ball, giving themselves great field position. A couple of plays later, they were able to double their lead, scoring another touchdown to make it 14-0.

In the second quarter, the Chiefs would run a fake field goal, and their kicker would turn the play into a touchdown, making it 21-0, before they added a field goal on their next drive to make it 24-0.

The Seahawks would finally get on the board, scoring a touchdown with one second left in the first half, but failed to make the convert, so the Chiefs took a 24-6 lead into the half.

In the third quarter, after the Chiefs had a touchdown called back, the Seahawks would catch a break and score a 55-yard rushing touchdown.

The Chiefs would immediately answer on their next drive with a 55-yard run, and then scoring another TD, making it 31-12.

On the Seahawks’ next drive, the Chiefs would intercept a pass, which would end up setting up another drive which resulted in a touchdown.

The final score was Chiefs 38-12 over the North Edmonton Seahawks.

For more on Calgary teams involved in minor football provincials, visit the Calgary Bantam Football Association website or the CBFA podcast.

High school provincials

Shouldice Athletic Park will also host three high school provincial games on Saturday.

Starting at 11 a.m. on Hellard Field, the first seed in 4A (school population of 700-1,399) Cochrane Cobras will take on the fifth seed Bishop Carroll Cardinals.

At 1:30 p.m. the Calgary Senior High School Athletic Association (CSHSAA) champion and fourth seed in 5A (school population of 1,400+) Notre Dame Pride will take on the fifth seed L.C.I. Rams out of Lethbridge.

The day will come to a close when third seed in 4A Okotoks’ Holy Trinity Academy Knights host second seed Cardston Cougars at 4:30 p.m.

Other Calgary high schools playing in provincial games include Ernest Manning Griffins who travel to Edmonton to play Harry Ainley Titans, and St. Francis Browns who will travel to Sherwood Park to take on the top ranked Salisbury Sabres.

For more on high schools provincials and the road to the Alberta Bowl in Medicine Hat, visit the Football Alberta website by clicking here.