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BY DAVID ROGERS

vs. Hampshire

Petersburg overcame a slow start Tuesday night at home against Hampshire, using a strong second quarter to pull away for a 79–60 victory over the Trojans. Winless Hampshire raced out to an early 9–0 lead, forcing Petersburg head coach Stacey Berg to call a timeout.

The Vikings responded by closing the opening quarter on a 12–2 run to take a 12–11 advantage after one. Petersburg took control in the second quarter, pouring in 28 points while shooting 58 % from the fl oor (9-for-16) to build an 18-point lead at halftime.

Hampshire continued to battle in the third quarter, outscoring the Vikings 23–19 while shooting 69 %, including 3-for-5 from three-point range. Petersburg remained focused in the fi nal period, outscoring the Trojans 20– 15 and shooting 68 %to secure the win.

Kaleb Kuhn led Petersburg with 22 points, seven rebounds, and fi ve assists. Caden Ours recorded a double-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and six steals. Payton Metheny added 17 points and fi ve assists, while Evan Tawney chipped in eight points.

vs. Pendleton County

P e n d l e t o n County used balanced scoring to defeat Petersburg Friday night, placing fi ve players in double fi gures in a 72–57 win over the Vikings at Petersburg. The loss evened the season series between the teams after Petersburg defeated the Wildcats in the Holiday Tournament championship game on December 27.

Pendleton County held a 16–13 lead after the fi rst quarter, as Petersburg shot just 28 % from the fl oor compared to the Wildcats’ 58 %. Chase Owens led Pendleton County with seven points in the opening frame. The game remained tightly contested through the fi rst half, with Petersburg trailing 34–30 at the break. Kuhn kept the Vikings within reach, scoring 10 points in the second quarter.

Pendleton County took control early in the second half, opening the third quarter on a 15–1 run to push the lead to 18. Evan Tawney provided a spark off the bench, scoring eight points in the quarter to cut the defi cit to eight. Petersburg struggled offensively down the stretch, managing only two fi eld goals over the fi nal eight minutes. The Vikings connected on 7-of-10 free throws, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the defi cit.

Kuhn led P e t e r s b u r g with 22 points. Metheny and Tawney each fi nished with 12 points, while Ours added nine. Chase Owens paced P e n d l e t o n County with 20 points. Henry Warner scored 14 points, Travis Owens added 12, and Jaydon Hess and Cashton K i s a m o r e chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. 

at Lincoln

Petersburg built a large fi rst-half lead Saturday afternoon before holding off a late rally to escape with a dramatic 66–64 road victory. The Vikings jumped out to a 6–0 start and closed the opening quarter on a 7–0 run to take a 19–7 lead after a Carter Hardy three. Kuhn scored eight points in the fi rst quarter. Petersburg extended its lead to 18 midway through the second quarter on a Metheny three, but Lincoln responded with a 9–0 run to cut the defi cit to 30– 21 at halftime. Lincoln stayed hot from three-point range in the third quarter, connecting on fi ve of eight attempts.

A Cole Vincent three pulled the Cougars within one, 40–39, with 2:48 remaining in the period. Petersburg regrouped to take a 48–44 lead into the fi nal quarter. The Vikings maintained the lead for most of the fourth period. A deep three by Lincoln’s Luke Joyce tied the game at 64 with 10 seconds remaining. With no timeouts left, Petersburg quickly inbounded the ball, and Kuhn dribbled the length of the fl oor before hitting a pull-up 15-footer at the buzzer to seal the win.

Kuhn led Petersburg with 28 points and eight rebounds. Ours recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Hardy, Lucas Riggleman, and Metheny each scored nine points, with Riggleman adding seven rebounds. Jackson Boddy chipped in three points. With the victory, Petersburg improved to 8–2 on the season, while Lincoln fell to 3–6.

The Vikings return to action Wednesday night at home against Frankfort, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

BY CLAY FRITZ

The snowy weather and frigid temperatures would not stop the Vikings from crossing the continental divide and make their way to Sutton for the Braxton County Invitational. Affectionately nicknamed the “Lions Den” by Coach Tony Weatherholt, the tournament takes place in a cramped gym with some of the best teams and wrestlers in the state. A twoday test awaited the grapplers as they ramp up the competition in the second half of the schedule.

The tournament kicked off Friday after lunchtime with each wrestler placed in a pool of others in their weight class. The results of the fi rst day would determine the pools for the Saturday. The best would wrestle the best and so on. It was a mix of results for the team.

Union senior Braylon Ward delivered one of the most productive weeks of the season, earning Grant County Press Player of the Week recognition after posting dominant performances in three games over a five-day stretch. Ward averaged 30.7 points, 9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, shooting an impressive 66 % from the fi eld, while helping the Tigers to two road victories and a hard-fought battle against a Class A powerhouse.