The Wolverines held the upper for the better part of the game.

But they couldn’t land a knockout punch, as South Whidbey rallied down the stretch to claim a 48-44 victory in the Wolverines 2011-2012 season opener, Saturday, in Friday Harbor.

Trailing 23-19 at the half, the Falcons scored the first five points of the third period to erase the deficit and grabbed a 1-point advantage. Friday Harbor reclaimed the lead moments later, at 29-30, as junior Donald Galt swiped a pass in the backcourt and laid it up and in.

The contest proved a see-saw battle after that, with the lead switching back and forth until South Whidbey big man, Zach Comfort, a 6-foot 8-inch senior, knock down two free-throws to put the Falcons up 41-40 and out in front for good with just under four minutes left in regulation.

Comfort scored a game-high 16 points, 12 of which came after the break, and pulled down 15 rebounds. Point guard Sam Lee added 12 points to the team’s total.

In his debut for the Wolverines, junior Collin Williamson, a transfer from Tacoma’s Life Christian, tallied 11 points to lead Friday Harbor on the offensive end. Williamson, matched up against South Whidbey’s Comfort on the defensive end, drew his fifth and final foul with just under two minutes remaining in the game. Galt scored 10 points, senior point guard Dakota Rosales had eight and sophomore C.J. Woods added seven.

The Wolverines will be seeking their first win tonight, Tuesday, as they host Northwest 1A/2B League rival Concrete. Tip off is 4:30 p.m. in Turnbull Gym.

Next:

Following Tuesday’s league match up at home against Concrete, the Wolverines travel to Orcas, Saturday, for a 12:45 p.m. showdown against the Vikings, and are on the road Dec. 13 at Darrington.

— Scott Rasmussen