WHITE SWAN–The Cougars capitalized on a 15-8 first-quarter bump that they maintained through the next three quarters to notch a 70-62 win in the first weekend of Dayton-Waitsburg Wolfpack boys basketball here December 3. DW fell to Oakesdale in a season-opening road loss 49-44 at Oakesdale.

DW hosts Goldendale and Granger this Friday and Saturday in Dayton.

Spencer Hansen pumped in a game-high 28, and Monte Pettichord scored 14. White Swan's Van Pelt scored 24 to lead his team to the non-league win.

Pettichord pulled down 14 rebounds and Blake French got 12.

The seven-point lead White Swan took in the first quarter couldn't be overcome as the Wolfpack played fairly even ball the rest of the game, even matching the Cougars' 24 points in the fourth.

At Oakesdale, Ryland Kilts scored 19 and Hansen 15, but it wasn't enough to outdo Oakesdale's three players who accounted for all of the Nighthawk points.

Hansen grabbed 10 defensive rebounds, and French and Benny Bryan counted three assists apiece.

In that game, Hansen tied it a 2-2 with a bucket, then added another basket for to make it 5-4 Oakesdale, but the lid went on the basket and the Nighthawks continued to an 11-4 lead in the first quarter.

Hansen hit a three pointer in the second quarter to make it 13-7.

Lanius hit a three for a 16-7 Oakesdale lead, then Hansen hit to make it 16-9.

Kilts followed with a three to pull DW within four. Oakesdale answered then Hansen added one free throw, 18-13.

Kilts scored and Ruben Yutze hit to pull DW close 18-17 with 1:19 to go in the half.

Both teams jockeyed for several third-quarter minutes, then Bryan scored to put DW up 19-18.

Brown sunk two gifters to put Oakesdale ahead 20-19 but there the Wolfpack stalled as the Nighthawks cranked up, Lanius hitting three three pointers in a row for a 31-19 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Kilts hit a three, followed with a bucket and added a free throw to cut the difference to 33-25. French scored to make it 33-27, but Perry drained a three to reset the lead to nine.

Kilts and Pettichord scored to shave the difference to five midway through the fourth.

Both teams battled scorelessly for a couple minutes until Kilts scored at 2:13 to cut the difference to 38-34. Oakesdale's Perry made a bucket and a free throw to regrow the lead, but Hansen hit a bucket and a three to with :37 on the clock, but Oakesdale's six-point lead, 45-39, was too formidable, despite a Pettichord bucket and a Kilts trey with seven seconds remaining to make it 49-44.

Oakesdale 49, Dayton-Waitsburg 44 (12/3)

DW 4 13 2 25-44

Oak 11 7 13 18-49

DW (44) Spencer Hansen 15, Ryland Kilts 19, Benny Bryan 2, Monte Pettichord 4, Ruben Yutze 2, Blake French 2. FG (2): 18/50-36%. FG(3): 5/21-24%. Free throws: ¾-75%.

Oakesdale (49) Brown 14, Perry 17, Lanius 18. FG(2): 14/37-38%. FG(3): 6/15-40%. Free throws: 15/17-88%.

White Swan 70, Dayton-Waitsburg 62 (12/2)

DW 8 18 12 24-62

WS 15 24 9 24-70

DW (62) Spencer Hansen 28, Ryland Kilts 13, Joe Patterson 3, Benny Bryan 1, Monte Pettichord 14, Blake French 1, Wyaitt Booth 2. FG(2): 8/28-29%. FG(3):6/15-40%. Free throws: 28/43-65%.

WS (70) Gleason 12, Van Pelt 24, Valdez 19, Hamilton 5, Hull 2, Bill 2, Dittenholer 6. FG(2): 10/28-36%. FG(3): 11/22-50%. Free throws: 11/31-55%.