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In St. Helens and Scappoose’s first games back in the Cowapa League, both teams lost their league openers to Seaside and Astoria, respectively.

At St. Helens, Seaside’s 34-17 run over the second and third quarters helped the Gulls tame the Lions, 62-35.

Austin Palmer scored 21 points and Ruger Thompson added 12 for Seaside, who is ranked seventh in the latest coaches poll.

Astoria 79, Scappoose 73

The Astoria boys basketball team is off to a good start in Cowapa League play.

In a crucial matchup, Astoria’s Merrick Benesch hit a 3-pointer with six seconds left in regulation, and the Fishermen defeated Scappoose 79-73 in overtime.

Beck Olson and Owen Williams both made clutch free throws in the extra session. Williams had 20 points, followed by Benesch and Niko Boudreau (16 apiece). Olson added 11 and Judd Field scored 10. The Fishermen had five players in double figures.

Astoria was 19-of-25 at the free throw line, to 10-of-19 for Scappoose.

One night earlier, Olson had 14 points in Astoria’s 65-39 win over Yamhill-Carlton.

Seaside (9-2 overall) and Astoria (7-5) are tied at 1-0 in league play, while the remaining teams (Tillamook, Scappoose and St. Helens) are a combined 7-27 overall.

Warrenton 67, Rainier 25

The Warrenton boys basketball team picked a good night to snap a three-game losing streak, defeating Rainier 67-25 in a Coastal Range League contest Friday night at Warrenton.

Warrenton jumped out to a 25-6 lead after one quarter, and led 58-17 after the third quarter .

Dawson Little had 17 points, and Hunter Xochipiltecatl added 15 for the Warriors.

Knappa 66, Mannahouse 55

Already the favorite to repeat as champions of Northwest League boys basketball, the Knappa Loggers showed that they will once again be one of the favorites in Pendleton later this season.

Hosting the previously No. 1-ranked Mannahouse Christian Lions, the Loggers crushed the top-ranked 2A team, 66-55, in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score.

The Lions were in foul trouble all night, helping Knappa finish 15-for-27 at the free throw line. Mannahouse was 0-for-1 at the line until the final 2:26 of the game, when the Lions had some late free throws.

The game was back-and-forth until midway through the third quarter, when Knappa pulled away with a three-point play by Tucker Kinder, a 3-pointer from Raymond Ramirez and a breakaway score by Jude Miller.

The Loggers added another 7-0 run later in the period, and finished the quarter with a Ramirez 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 51-39 lead.