Computer Accusations Spark Denials

A computer data question at the sheriff’s office has prompted the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate.
According to Sheriff Stanley Noblin, when he assumed office on Jan. 1 he found data missing from three computers.
Noblin said the three computers in question include two desktop computers in the sheriff’s office and the administrative assistant’s office and a laptop computer in the drug investigators’ office.
“I don’t know if there’s anything to it or not, but I felt I needed to contact the commonwealth’s attorney to determine the next step,” Noblin said.
Halifax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Kim White recused herself from the investigation, citing her close association with the sheriff’s office. She said any conclusions reached by an investigation conducted by her office could be criticized, and not wishing to give the appearance of a conflict of interest, she requested the appointment of a special prosecutor to look into the matter.
Halifax County Circuit Court Judge William Wellons appointed Henry County Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Bushnell Jan. 11 to serve as special prosecutor.
When contacted yesterday, White said all questions about this matter should be directed to Bushnell.
Any decision related to an investigation rests with Bushnell, Noblin said. Bushnell could not be reached for comment as of press time yesterday.
When contacted for comment Thursday, former Sheriff Jeff Oakes said, “I am dumbfounded that Stanley Noblin would have stooped to this level as one of the first things he has done in his administration.
“My offer to assist Sheriff Noblin with a transition into office was never accepted. To suggest that I would have committed such a malicious act after publicly offering to assist him is ludicrous.
“Computer information is routinely placed in a redundant backup system so that pertinent information is retained in the event of some catastrophic computer failure.
“Financial and investigative records were not maintained in my office to begin with. Had Sheriff Noblin contacted me prior to the beginning of his term, all of this senseless innuendo would have been avoided.
“Virginia State Police routinely conduct investigations at the request of the local sheriff without benefit or necessity of a special prosecutor or court order,” the former sheriff pointed out.
Former Major Richard Pulliam released a prepared statement yesterday. The text of that statement follows:
“I was advised today that on Jan. 11, 2008, a special prosecutor was appointed by Judge Wellons to serve in place of Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly White in what appears to be a special investigation initiated by Sheriff Stanley Noblin shortly after his accession to office.
“The only description of this investigation is contained in Ms. White’s motion requesting that a special prosecutor be appointed, and it reads, ‘A law enforcement agency within this county has requested that an investigation be opened into conduct that might violate provisions of Article 7.1 of Chapter 5 of Title 18.2 of the Code of Virginia.’
“Article 7.1 prohibits certain crimes involving computers, such as the theft of confidential data, or using computers to steal, defraud, forge of falsify information. If Mr. Noblin’s quotes contained in the Thursday edition of the News and Record are correct, he wants the special prosecutor to investigate the fact that his late political opponent Jeff Oakes, Jeff’s secretary and I deleted vital data contained in the sheriff’s department computers which were personally assigned to us during our years in service. He is quoted as saying, ‘We’re not exactly sure what type of information was contained on all the computers.’ Based on these statements, the only offense in Article 7.1 that remotely applies would be Section 18.2-152.4.A.2., which makes it unlawful for someone to erase computer data ‘with malicious intent.’
Pulliam said he cannot speak for Jeff Oakes or anyone else, but the data he deleted from his computer when he left was of a personal nature that was unrelated or unimportant to my duties as a police officer.
“I did not think it appropriate to leave e-mail messages from my wife, pictures of my daughters, or any other such communications in the computer to take up the data storage space of anyone who might use the computer after me, nor do I believe that any other reasonable person who is leaving his former employment would have acted differently than I did. There is no malice involved in erasures of this sort,” continued Pulliam.
“In all my years of police work I have never known an investigation to be opened, much less a special prosecutor appointed, when there is no evidence that a crime has been committed, only the mere belief that some crime might have occurred. The citizens of Halifax County ought to ask themselves if they really think it is appropriate for the police to engage in this sort of behavior. Does Mr. Noblin think I should be prosecuted because I didn’t think it appropriate for him to read my mail?
“I am prepared to wait as long as it takes for an answer to these questions, and I also hope Sheriff Noblin has the decency to apologize to me when this investigation leads to nothing.”

Halifax Sets Public Hearing On ‘Chemical Trespass’ Ordinance

Halifax Council has agreed to take a “chemical trespass” ordinance billed as a tool for citizens’ protection to public hearing.
A planning commission public hearing will be held Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.
Council is expected to address the issue at its Feb. 12 meeting, Town Manager Carl Espy said Thursday.
The ordinance is in response to Virginia Uranium’s proposed mining and milling operation at Coles’ Hill, located about six miles from Chatham. Halifax is located downstream from the proposed uranium mine, an estimated $10 billion ore deposit. Southside Concerned Citizens is opposing mining citing concerns about air and groundwater pollution in the region.
Council’s action came during its Tuesday night session following a preliminary review of the proposed ordinance by Halifax attorney George Bagwell. The attorney said he had only a short time to review the long document, and said he had not reviewed the town’s most recent charter, which could have an impact on the issue.
Although Bagwell advised council he found nothing that he thought would hurt the town or create liability, he did question the enforceability of some clauses.
He also noted that towns and municipalities generally do not have the right to pass laws that will generate lawsuits. However, Bagwell said he was not an expert in the field, and the document would require additional study.
Similar ordinances have been passed by numerous communities in Pennsylvania to “stop corporate assaults,” according to Shireen Parsons, the state’s community organizer for the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, and the organization that provided the ordinance draft. Parsons said the ordinances have been used to protect citizens against mining and sludge disposal projects, among others, and have been effective.
Councilman Jack Dunavant made the motion to advertise the ordinance for public hearing, with a second by councilman Dick Moore.
“The wolf is at the door,” said Dunavant, urging council to approve taking the ordinance to public hearing. The councilman also described the ordinance as “on the cutting edge of constitutional law.”
Bagwell described the ordinance as “really high-tech.”
Council agreed to the “encompassing ordinance” with the understanding some clauses could be cut or modified prior to final hearing.
Bagwell is expected to review the ordinance with attorney Tom Lindsey, who wrote the ordinance, prior to the public hearing.
Parsons said Lindsey would be happy to work with the town at no cost.
In other business, Council approved the reappointment of Beth Gillis to the town’s planning commission.
No action was taken regarding changing polling place Ward A at Christ Church since the town has not been formally notified by the Electoral Boarder regarding the issue.
Councilman W. Stevens told councilmen that he had been contacted by contractors regarding expensive water/sewer hook-up fees to new areas.
“We are on the low end of what people are charging for this,” advised Mayor Leon Plaster, who also serves on the new Halifax County Service Authority board.

United Way Reorganizes

“Tonight, Halifax United Way is alive again,” Ryan Garrett said Tuesday evening as the reorganization of the local organization got under way during its annual meeting Tuesday.
Sharron Garrett and Denise Taylor-Forrest were elected president and vice-president respectively to lead the Halifax County United Way as the organization makes plans for its 2008 campaign drive slated for later this fall.
Wayne Conner will serve as treasurer and Jules Modlinski as secretary.
In addition to Garrett and Taylor-Forrest, other members who agreed to serve a three-year term on the board of directors include Earl Howerton, Tom Kluge, Leigh Felton, Rev. Dave Cline and Holly Newton.
Those serving two-year terms are Valdivia Marshall, Anne Leggett, Wayne Conner and Larry Clark. Serving for one year on the board are Detra Carr, Rev. James Crowder and Jules Modlinski.
For the past several months, members have been working toward reorganizing the local United Way so it once again will be vibrant and active in the community.
Last year, Halifax United Way did not conduct a local fundraising campaign, and for all practical purposes the organization has been on “life support,” Ryan Garrett told the two dozen agency representatives and UW directors attending the annual meeting.
Prior to electing officers and directors, Garrett said United Way is implementing a “theme of listening” about what the community believes the organization should be doing.
“Over the last several years, every time I thought it just didn’t look like things were going to happen, that still small voice kept nagging at me not to let this go,” he said.
“What also is amazing is when the right things start to happen, when everything lines up, it lines up in a hurry, and it was interesting that the day when I finally gave up … William Coleman called me and said before you do that, give me about a week, and as you know he was instrumental in calling people who would be willing in a big way to help reorganize this board,” he added.
Following the election of officers, the new president conducted a question and answer session.
She confirmed the organization plans to conduct its annual fundraising campaign this year in the fall – in September and October.
“We’re just delighted that you are back,” said Laurietta Faulkner, executive director of the local Mentor-Role Model Program, one of several United Way recipients attending the Tuesday evening meeting.
The new president also anticipates the organization hiring a director to assist with the annual fundraiser. However, the board will have to decide whether the position will be full-time or part-time.
Another high priority for the group is to secure office space, Garrett said encouraging offers of donated “free” office space.
“If we can use the money that we receive to support the various agencies’ efforts in the community, we had much rather do that versus paying for office space. If there is space available that is donated, we will accept it,” she said.
When questioned whether the United Way had funds to be disbursed immediately, Garrett and Taylor-Forrest agreed the full board will make the decision concerning when the money should be disbursed.
“There is money in the United Way,” Garrett said. “How we go about disbursing it is a decision the board will have to make. Whether we decide to go ahead and make disbursements now before the campaign will be left up to the board. I can’t answer that.”
Board member Leigh Felton cited a new model that exists for operating the United Way, using Danville’s United Way as an example of one area organization following the new model.
“We as a board will have to make the decision of disbursing the money, but I hope it’s not going to be the traditional way of just handing money out and telling the agencies you can do with it what you want.
“Hopefully,” Felton said, “we will find the critical needs in our community and then find somebody we can partner with to see that these needs are met.”
He said this partnering process provides “accountability” built into the way money is disbursed.
“Danville is having a lot of success with it,” Felton told the group.
United Way supporters also were encouraged to “talk up” the organization throughout the year.
Board member Rev. James Crowder said, “We need as many people as possible to convince our community there is a need for the United Way.”
“We have these spurts of enthusiasm and then it kind of fizzles out. For whatever reason, we just can’t seem to maintain a high level of enthusiasm, so we’re going to have to ask our member agencies to help us maintain community support because it’s at an all-time low now for whatever reason,” he added.
Concluding the meeting, Garrett promised to do the best she can and work as hard as she can as she leads the United Way board in the coming year.

Obituaries

Emma Lou Vaughan Bass
Emma Lou Vaughan Bass, 84, of Liberty, N.C. died January 15, 2008, in Greensboro, N.C.
Mrs. Bass was born in Halifax County on June 11, 1923, the daughter of the late Herbert Watkins Vaughan and Susie Wilborn Vaughan and was married to Henry David Bass Jr.
Survivors include her husband of the home; one brother, Thomas Dewey Vaughan and wife, Nellie, of Alton; two sisters, Barbara Conner and husband, Charlie, of South Boston and Jane Hammack and husband, Howard, of Altavista.
Three brothers and two sisters, Preston Watkins Vaughan, Randolph Herbert Vaughan, Addie Vaughan Henderson, Mary Vaughan Daniels and Otis Clifton Vaughan, also preceded Mrs. Bass in death.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow, January 19, at 2 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. William Coghill officiating. Burial will follow in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends this evening, January 18, from 7:00 to 8:30, at Powell Funeral Home and other times at the home of her sister, Barbara Conner, 8125 River Road, South Boston.

Betty Robertson Snead
Betty Robertson Snead, 73, of 10074 Bill Tuck Highway, Virgilina died January 15, 2008, at South Boston Manor.
Mrs. Snead was born in Halifax County April 21,1934, the daughter of the late George Robertson and Hattie Davis Robertson Long, and was married to James Lacy Snead. She was a member of Friendship Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband; three daughters, Peggy Glasscock and husband, Jr., of Virgilina, Rita Thompson and husband, Carl, of South Boston, and Anne Jones and husband, Ollie D. III, of Oxford, N.C.; four grandchildren, Jeffrey A. Cook, Jessica Thompson, Ollie Jones IV, and Ethan Jones; two great-grandchildren, Brandon Cook and Kaylee Cook; two sisters, Shelby Keatts and Henrietta Reagan; and one brother, Billy Robertson. One sister, Ella Mae Long, preceded Mrs. Snead in death.
Graveside services for Mrs. Snead were held January 16, at 2 p.m. at Halifax Memorial Gardens with the Rev. Johnny Richards officiating.

Robert ‘Buster’ William Stevens
Robert ‘Buster’ William Stevens, 96, of 1176 Hyco Road, South Boston died January 16, 2008, at Berry Hill Nursing Home.
Mr. Stevens was born in Halifax County on October 20, 1911, the son of the late Thomas Ellis Stevens and Nora Price Stevens, and was married to the late Norma B. Wilson Stevens. He was a member of First Baptist Church of South Boston, an Army Veteran having served in World War II, and was retired from Spencer Lumber Company.
Survivors include two sisters, Mary S. Barnes and Gladys S. Dodson, both of Halifax; one brother, Archer T. Stevens of Moore, S.C., six nieces, Mary B. Magnotto, Monica D. Conner, Becky S. Pugh, Carolyn S. Snyder, Nancy S. Dement and Patricia S. Petras; one nephew, Thomas E. Stevens; and a number of great nieces and nephews.
Two sisters, Hilda S. Power and Reba Jeanett Stevens; and two brothers, John B. Stevens and Charles Melvin Stevens, also preceded Mr. Stevens in death.
Graveside services will be held tomorrow, January 19, at 2 p.m. at Halifax Memorial Gardens with the Rev. David Slabach officiating.
The family will receive friends this evening, January 18, from 7:00 to 8:30 at Powell Funeral Home, and other times at the home of his sister, Gladys S. Dodson, 2187 Winns Creek Road, Halifax.

Grace Satterfield Tanksley
Grace Satterfield Tanksley, 84, of Richmond died January 15, 2008, at Ruxton at Westover Hills in Richmond.
Mrs. Tanksley was born in Halifax County on December 27, 1923, the daughter of the late Kenneth David Satterfield and Mary Elizabeth Forlines Satterfield and was married to the late Otis Tanksley. She was a member of Centerville United Church of Christ.
Survivors include one son, Donald Otis Tanksley and wife, Liz, of Richmond; one daughter, Betty Jean Tanksley of Halifax; two grandchildren, Sarah Brooke Tanksley of Washington, D.C. and Janice Tanksley Hooton and husband, Jerry, of Richmond; one great-grandchild, Virginia Grace Hooton of Richmond; four sisters, Eunice Ridgeway, Mildred Seamster and Edith Holland of Halifax, and Evelyn Hudson of Richmond.
A graveside service for Mrs. Tanksley will be held tomorrow, January 19, at 11 a.m. at Halifax Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends this evening, January 18, from 7:00 to 8:30, at Powell Funeral Home, and other times at the home of her sister, Mildred Seamster, 275 Cedar Lane, Halifax.

Lillian Ferguson Terry
Lillian Ferguson Terry, 78, of 2000 College Street, South Boston died January 16, 2008, at her home.
Mrs. Terry was born in Halifax County on January 19, 1929, the daughter of the late Lloyd Ferguson and Peachie Geneva Williams Bailey, and was married to the late George Douglas Terry. She was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Geneva Tucker of Vernon Hill; one son, Bobby Ferguson of Raleigh, N.C.; 11 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one son-in-law, Theodore Tucker of Vernon Hill; and one daughter-in-law, Valerie Ferguson of Raleigh.
Funeral services for Mrs. Terry will be held January 20, at 2 p.m. at Crawford House Chapel in Halifax with the Rev. Evon Bush officiating. Burial will follow in Mt. Pleasant CME Church Cemetery.
Viewing for family and friends will be tomorrow, January 19, from noon to 6 p.m. at Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel. The family will also receive friends at the home.

Emma Eggleston Keeton
Emma Eggleston Keeton, 94, of Bullock, N.C. died January 17, 2008, at Maria Parham Hospital.
A native of Granville County, N.C., the widow of Charlie Thaxton Keeton Sr. and the daughter of the late Thomas and Camilla Tunstall Eggleston. She was the oldest member of Marrow’s Chapel United Methodist Church.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. January 20, at Marrow’s Chapel UMC with the Revs. Chad Holtz and John Yount officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Surviving are four daughters, Ruby Ann Averette and husband, James, of Bullock, Jenny Lou Elliott and husband, Mac, of Clarksville, Bonnie Cottrell and husband, Jerry, of Oxford, N.C., and Dagmar Bailey and husband, Larry, of Stovall, N.C.; seven sons, Charlie Thaxton Keeton II and wife, Linville, of Henderson, Francis Keeton and wife, Helen of Stovall, William Hunter Keeton of Clarksville, Ray Keeton and wife Ida, of Bullock, Al Keeton and wife, Joyce, of Hampton, Wayne Keeton and wife, Cindy, and Pete Keeton and wife, Nora, all of Oxford; 38 grandchildren; 60 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren. A daughter, Carol Luffman; and a son, Robbins Keeton, also preceded Mrs. Keeton in death.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Marrow’s Chapel UMC Cemetery Fund, c/o Marshall Tingen, 9034 McDuffie, Road, Oxford, N.C. 27565.
The family will receive friends tomorrow evening, January 19, from 7:00 to 8:30 at Eakes Funeral Home in Oxford, and other times at the home.

Lady Comets Grind Out District Win Over Glass

By Doug Ford
G-V Staff Writer
It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but the Comets varsity girls basketball team got its first Western Valley District win of the season with a grinding 54-45 win over E.C. Glass Tuesday at Comets Gym.
Miyisha Younger led Halifax with a season-high 27 points, including 11 in the first quarter and nine in the fourth to help her team hold off Glass, which cut a nine-point deficit to three with less than 30 seconds remaining.
Destiny Betts finished with eight points, and Tiffany Wilson six points, including a pair or key foul shots with 20 seconds remaining that gave her team a five-point lead.
Whitney McCargo had five fourth-quarter points, including her team’s only three-pointer, while Nia Brown had four and Brittany Roberts and Lauren Daniel two apiece for Halifax, now 1-2 in the district and 9-6 overall.
Dashawna Bowling and Dessi Dupuy had 16 and 15 points, respectively to lead Glass, which was 17-29 from the foul line, compared to 13-24 for Halifax.
Halifax led 16-13 after one quarter and saw a early 19-13 lead evaporate into a 23-23 tie at halftime. The Comets twice held seven-point leads in the third quarter before settling for a 34-32 lead entering the fourth, and led by a 45-36 margin early in the fourth before Glass cut it to 48-45 with 30 seconds remaining.
Two foul shots and two breakaway baskets after steals in the closing seconds sealed the win, one the Comets needed after two losses to open the district campaign.
Halifax won despite the absence of two players due to injury and illness, and despite a number of turnovers and missed shots from close range, but coach Ray Reaves was ultimately happy with the win.
“We’ve been coming up short in our prior district games and we needed this win tonight, but we’re still not executing like we should and tonight it was the same old story in the first half,” said Reaves.
“We played horribly, but we did a much better job in the second half. We were still inconsistent but not nearly as inconsistent as in the first half.
“There were long stretches where we played pretty well in the second half and short stretches where we didn’t, playing about six good minutes in each quarter and a couple where we in which we made mistakes and let Glass back into the game, ” he continued.
“Fortunately, the two minutes we didn’t play well in the fourth quarter came early and we finished strong with several steals down the stretch, along with some big free throws.”
The Comets were ahead for most of the first half, but at least six missed layups and a number of turnovers kept Glass close.
Younger worked inside for nine first-quarter points, including a three-point play, and her last of four consecutive buckets gave the Comets a 13-12 lead. Betts hit three of four foul shots down the stretch to help the Comets to the three-point lead after one quarter, and the bulge increased to 19-13 early in the second on the first of two Wilson baskets.
Halifax led 23-17 midway through the quarter, but Glass finished the half with six straight points to tie the contest.
Halifax held seven-point leads twice in the third quarter, the last time at 32-25 after a Betts basket, but Glass closed the gap to 34-32 with a quarter remaining.
Halifax built a 45-36 lead midway through the final quarter after McCargo’s trey and the third of four Younger baskets in the period, but the turnover bug bit the Comets again, as Glass closed to 45-41 at the 2:40 mark.
The Comets held a 48-43 lead with a minute left, but Bowling hit two free throws after a Halifax foul on an errant inbounds pass to cut the deficit to 48-45 with 30 seconds remaining.
Wilson was fouled while following the second of two missed Younger free throws and sank both to make it 50-45 with 20 seconds left, and Roberts and McCargo both scored after Glass turnovers in the final seconds to seal the win.
McCargo said after the game that her trey should serve as a confidence booster for the remainder of the season.
“Coach has told us to start being more aggressive on the offensive end and take it to the basket instead of settling for a jump shot,” said McCargo.
I really hadn’t had a chance to take a look at the scoreboard, but when I looked it was a close game and I was open, so I thought I had to take it.”
Younger said that Reaves had challenged the team at halftime to take better advantage of its advantages on the inside.
“Coach Reaves told us at halftime to step it up in the post positions,” said Younger.
“I was thinking about our first two district losses and we want to make it into the post season, so I made sure my teammates knew to take it inside,” she added.
Halifax has a tough task ahead of it tonight with the last of four straight home district games, this one against William Fleming.
Reaves emphasized that his team needs to bring its “A” game and play consistent basketball all four quarters to have a chance to win.
“Fleming is very athletic, and loves to get up and down the floor. They’re very quick and have some players who can put the ball in the basket,” explained Reaves.
“We have a team which can run the floor and we’re capable of playing good defense when we bring our “A” game.
“We’ll have to have that in order to compete with them.”

Comets Grapplers Land First Win

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
After having sustained 11 consecutive defeats, the Halifax County High School wrestling team picked up its first win of the season Wednesday night with a close 36-33 win over Heritage High School of Lynchburg.
The win in the nightcap gave the Comets a split in their tri-meet with Heritage High School and Magna Vista High School.
In the opening contest, the Comets lost a 48-30 decision to Magna Vista.
“It feels good to get that first win,” remarked Comets coach Brady Taylor after the victory that improved his team’s record to 1-11 in dual matches.
“Team-wise we did what we needed to do.”
Taylor said that in an overall sense, his team turned in a better performance than it had in its last couple of outings.
“We were more aggressive tonight,” Taylor said.
“We’re getting a little bit of our confidence back and seeing a little bit more aggressiveness in our matches. That’s what we need. We were down after last week’s Western Valley District Duals (where the Comets were 0-5). To come back and have a night like tonight will help us a lot the rest of the season.”
Halifax County forfeited five weight classes in each of the two matches but found itself in a favorable situation in the match against Heritage High School.
Between the two teams there were forfeits in eight of the 14 weight classes with Halifax County getting wins in three of those weight classes.
In the six contested weight classes, Halifax County and Heritage High School each won three contests with Comets 140-pounder Lewis Ashworth, 152-pounder Sam Lantor and 285-pounder Richie Wright picking up wins by pins.
The Comets trailed entering the final contest of the match, the 285-pound contest, and Wright put the Comets over the top by pinning his Heritage High School opponent in 42 seconds.
While Wright had to win his contest to give the Comets the match win, the pivotal contest of the match came in the 171-pound weight class where the Comets’ Josh Gregory battled the Pioneers’ Brice Bhalla in a tough contest before losing a 6-4 decision.
The fact that Heritage picked up only three points for the decision as opposed to the six points the Pioneers would have scored had Gregory lost by a pin turned out to be a big factor in the final outcome of the match.
“Josh Gregory was huge for us,” Taylor pointed out.
“That’s something we’ve been preaching all year. We keep telling them that even if you lose, you can help the team win the match. That’s what he (Gregory) did by not getting pinned.”
Taylor said the break the team got with Gregory’s match, the matches his wrestlers won and the circumstance in which Heritage had a similar number of forfeits to that of his Comets team what was needed for his team to earn its first win of the season.
“We needed a break like that to happen,” Taylor pointed out.
“We thought we would be competitive with Heritage and we were. They’re in a similar situation as us. Their coach was telling me he had lost a wrestler or two and we recently lost a wrestler or two. It’s just one of those things where stuff happens and you just have to keep rolling with what you have. We came out on top tonight and we’re happy about it.”
In the match against Magna Vista High School, the Comets yielded four wins as a result of forfeits, giving Magna Vista 24 uncontested team points at the outset. One of the weight classes the Comets forfeited turned out to be a double forfeit as Magna Vista also forfeited the same weight class.
Halifax County won four of the nine contested weight classes with 130-pounder Ralph Tuck, 160-pounder Jeremy Roman, 215-pounder Michael Puryear and Wright each winning their matches with pins.
When the night ended, Tuck (pin and forfeit win), Roman (pin and forfeit win) and Wright (two pins), finished with a perfect 2-0 slate.
Ashworth, Lantor, Puryear and 189-pounder Justin Perkins finished the night with an even 1-1 mark.
“I actually thought we wrestled better as a team against Magna Vista than we did against Heritage,” Taylor pointed out.
“ But, that’s where the forfeits bit us.”
The Comets are scheduled to be back in action Saturday in the Amherst County High School Invitational at Amherst County High School. Taylor said he expects his Comets team to face Heritage and host Amherst County High School among other opponents.
“Hopefully we will be able to pull off the same thing against Heritage Saturday,” Taylor remarked.
“I think Josh (Gregory) can beat that kid if he sees him again. We’ll also wrestle Amherst County. I’m not sure who else will be up there but we’re looking forward to a good day on Saturday, too. We want to try and keep this thing going.”

Magna Vista 48 Halifax County 30
103 – Josh Hundley (MV) won by forfeit.
112 – Tony Gravely (MV) won by forfeit.
119 – Ty Watkins (MV) won by forfeit.
125 – Martin Garcia (MV) won by forfeit.
130 - Ralph Tuck (HC) pinned Tyler Morris (MV) 1:13.
135 – Double Forfeit.
140 – Mason Kendall (MV) pinned Lewis Ashworth (HC) 4:37.
145 – Darius Moore (MV) pinned Ryan Dixon (HC) 54 Sec.
152 – George Musgrove (MV) pinned Sam Lantor (HC) 1:01.
160 – Jeremy Roman (HC) pinned Dustin Christian (MV) 3:08.
171 – Josh Coles (MV) pinned Josh Gregory (HC) 1:32.
189 – Charles Curtis (MV) pinned Justin Perkins (HC) 1:39.
215 – Michael Puryear (HC) pinned Sam Likens (MV) 33 Sec.
285 – Richie Wright (HC) pinned Adam Hutchings (MV) 3:29.
Halifax County 36 Heritage 33
103 – Double Forfeit.
112 – Double Forfeit.
119 – Sam Duverne (Her) won by forfeit.
125 – David McDonough (Her) won by forfeit.
130 – Ralph Tuck (HC) won by forfeit.
135 – Marco Mosley (Her) won by forfeit.
140 – Lewis Ashworth (HC) pinned Eric Reynolds (Her) 1:06.
145 – Mandez Cardwell (Her) pinned Ryan Dixon (HC) 1:54.
152 – Sam Lantor (HC) pinned Cody MacArthur (Her) 3:43.
160 - Jeremy Roman (HC) won by forfeit.
171 – Brice Bhalla (Her) dec. Josh Gregory (HC) 6-4.
189 – Justin Perkins (HC) won by forfeit.
215 – Alex Reynolds (Her) pinned Michael Puryear (HC) 1:29.
285 – Richie Wright (HC) pinned Rose (Her) 42 Sec.

Comets Face WF Tonight

By Joe Chandler
Sports Editor
The Halifax County High School varsity boys and varsity girls basketball teams will be facing key Western Valley District contests tonight, weather and road conditions permitting, when they face the teams from William Fleming High School.
Halifax County High School’s boys team is scheduled to travel to Roanoke to face the Colonels while the Comets girls are slated to host the Lady Colonels at Halifax County High School. Both games are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
The Comets boys (10-5 overall, 1-2 district) will be looking to get back into the win column after a 74-44 loss last Friday to Western Valley District GW in Danville.
Halifax County is one game out of second place in the district standings and could tighten up the district’s regular-season title chase with a win. A win would improve the Comets’ district mark to 2-2 and would pull them into a tie with William Fleming, who would drop to 2-2 in district play with a loss.
Halifax County High School’s girls team will be looking to try to improve its record tonight as well.
The Comets scored their first Western Valley District win of the season Tuesday night with a 54-45 win over E.C. Glass and could improve to 2-2 in district play with a win.
The chase for the regular-season district championship is a heated one as four teams, Patrick Henry of Roanoke, GW, William Fleming and Franklin County are tied for the district lead with 2-1 records.
Halifax County trails by one game and E.C. Glass is two games out of the lead with a 0-3 mark.
Other Western Valley District games tonight have district leader GW (15-0, 3-0 district) traveling to Roanoke to face Patrick Henry (8-7, 1-2 district) and Franklin County (9-5 overall, 2-1 district) traveling to Lynchburg to face E.C. Glass.