The future of Cowapa League boys basketball may belong to Astoria, but for now, Seaside is still the team to beat.

The two teams staged a nonleague Clatsop Clash Saturday Dec. 17, in the championship game of the annual Seaside Holiday Classic.

In the first of at least four meetings this season between the two teams (three at Seaside), the Gulls defeated Astoria 53-32 to win yet another title in their own tournament.

It was the first time since 2015 that Astoria and Seaside played in the championship game of the Holiday Classic — the Gulls also won by 21 points, 61-40.

The Fishermen were off to a good start in the Dec. 17 game, jumping out to a 16-11 lead in the early moments of the second quarter, following a 3-point shot and a three-point play by Astoria freshman Kanon Huber.

But back-to-back 3-pointers by Seaside’s Austin Palmer and Caleb Langmo sparked an 11-0 run by the Gulls, who never trailed again. Seaside’s lead reached 37-24 midway through the third period.

Palmer — the tournament’s MVP — scored 18 points to lead Seaside, which outscored Astoria 23-8 in the second half. Judd Field had 10 for the Fishermen.

Meanwhile, the annual Holiday Classic tournament would not be the same without Seaside in the boys’ championship game.

Since 2010, the Gulls have played in 11 of the last 12 Holiday Classic title games, missing only in 2013 (the tournament was not held in 2020). Over that same span, the Gulls are 6-5 in championship games, and 4-2 since 2015, losing only to Newport in 2017 and Corbett last year.

Astoria 55, Dallas 39

In a Dec. 16 semifinal, Dallas and Astoria battled in a 3-point shootout, with the Fishermen winning 55-39.

Astoria made eight 3-pointers in the first half (four from Merrick Benesch) for a 36-19 halftime lead.

Benesch drained two more 3-pointers in the second half as the lead reached 47-28.

Dallas made five second half 3-pointers to pull within 50-39, before the Fishermen closed out the win with free throws. Benesch had 22 points to lead all scorers.

Gulls 50, Elma 35

Seaside reached the tournament championship game for the eighth straight season, scoring an easy 50-35 win over Elma on Dec. 16.

After a low-scoring first half (the Gulls held a 22-12 halftime lead), Seaside opened the second half with a 3-pointer by Caleb Langmo. Additional 3-pointers in the third quarter by Langmo and Ruger Thompson gave the Gulls a 38-13 advantage, all the points Seaside would need for the win.

Seaside had three players in double figures, led by Thompson and Austin Palmer (11 points each) and Izzy Jantes (10).