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After years of delays, Lawrence “Grasshopper” Puffenbarger’s trial started in Hampshire County Circuit Court on Monday, February 23.

The delays resulted mainly from scheduling confl icts, pretrial legal motions and personnel changes, including the appointment of a new prosecutor.

The trial was moved from Pendleton County to Hampshire County to ensure fairness, given local publicity and concerns about impartial jurors.

Day One of Trial

Puffenbarger was being charged with three counts of First Degree Sexual Abuse. West Virginia State Code §61- 8B-7 defi first-degree sexual abuse as subjecting another person to sexual contact without their consent, when the victim is younger than twelve years old, or when the defendant is in a position of trust, authority, or supervision over a child. This charge refl ects the seriousness of the alleged offenses and the legal standards involved.

Union delivered a complete performance Thursday night, pulling away early and never looking back in a 62–33 victory over Paw Paw.

The Tigers set the tone from the opening tip, scoring 18 points in the first quarter and carrying that momentum into a halftime advantage. Union remained steady after the break, posting 17 points in both the second and third quarters to put the game out of reach before the final frame.

Coach Jon Webster’s Lady Vikings opened tournament play Friday night on their home floor in impressive fashion. The third-seeded Vikings welcomed sixth-seed Braxton County and delivered a dominant performance, shooting 47 percent from the field while forcing 28 Eagle turnovers en route to a 62-32 victory.

The Petersburg High School Vikings traveled to Berkeley Springs Friday night knowing they had already secured the top seed for the upcoming regional tournament.

Despite having postseason positioning locked up, the Vikings stayed focused and took care of business with a convincing 64-40 victory over the Indians. Petersburg came out firing on all cylinders, erupting for 23 first-quarter points while holding Berkeley Springs to just five. The Vikings continued to build their advantage in the second period, extending the lead to 40-11 by halftime.

Vikings finish 7–0 in regional play as coaches across the region vote Petersburg atop the bracket; Philip Barbour visits Friday night for postseason opener.

The Petersburg High School boys basketball team has secured the top seed in the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) Class AA Region II tournament after completing a perfect 7–0 run through regional play.