The Cumberland High School varsity football team did not get the latter half of its regular season off to the start it was hoping for.

After falling behind early, the Dukes went on to drop their homecoming game 28-6 on Friday to the hungry and previously winless Randolph-Henry High School Statesmen (1-6).

“We gave up some big plays,” Cumberland Head Coach Edgar Knapp said. “There were guys playing hard all over the field. We just didn’t play well enough. We continue to just struggle, both offensively and defensively, at certain points in the game. And today, offensively, we couldn’t move the ball. It was really not a very good effort by us.”

The Statesmen took a 7-0 lead just before the midpoint of the first quarter after senior Chris Powell ran for a 64-yard touchdown on a 4th-and-3 play.

Near the end of the second quarter, his runs of 58 and 19 yards helped set up Randolph-Henry for its next score — an 8-yard run by junior Tremaine Pugh — which put the Statesmen up 14-0 at halftime.

The Dukes fought their way back into the game when senior De’Suan Jennings tight-roped the left sideline and scored on a 35-yard run with 11:44 to go in the fourth quarter, making the score 14-6. As it was for much of the game, the Statesmen defense was strong on the next play, stopping a 2-point conversion attempt, keeping Cumberland from making it a 6-point game.

Later in the quarter, Randolph-Henry began to wear down a Dukes defense which had become further ravaged by injuries during the course of the game. Junior Tyrie Blow-Tydings, the 248-pound Statesmen fullback, ran over and through defenders to fuel a drive capped by his own 1-yard touchdown run, which helped make the score 21-6.

On Randolph-Henry’s next possession, senior Harmon Boyd scored on a 60-yard run.

Cumberland had some players unable to play for various reasons, which led to limitations in its game plan on both sides of the ball, though some young players got important varsity experience. The Dukes still had key leaders on hand for much of the game, though, as senior Jamie Trent registered 19 carries for 109 yards.

On defense, senior Kaleb Boyles led his team with 10 total tackles, six solo and four assists, including two for a loss, and forced a fumble and recovered it. Junior Darron Ridley had eight total tackles, six solo and two assists, senior Dupre Jones had seven total tackles, five solo and two assists, and senior Jaylen Gilliam had six solo tackles, two for a loss, with his team’s lone sack. On one of the few passes the Statesmen attempted, junior Christian Allen recorded an interception.

Cumberland (1-5) visits Prince Edward County High School Friday at 7 p.m.