A difficult season continued Friday for the injury-plagued and undermanned Buckingham County High School varsity football team.

The Knights led 8-6 at one point in the third quarter, but the visiting Amelia County High School Raiders turned things around late, winning 31-8 to rebound from their 40-6 loss to Prince Edward County High School earlier in the week.

Despite the loss, Buckingham Head Coach Josh Wallace saw reason for encouragement in his examination of the Knights’ performance.

“I felt like we gave it a team effort, for sure,” he said. “We had a lot of guys step up and play positions that they hadn’t really been playing all year. And although we didn’t get the win, they really played hard, and they stepped up for the team, and I was very proud of them for that.”

Senior Ky’Aire Chambers had three catches for 113 yards, and senior Jarvis Bowles went 4-for-8 passing for 143 yards and three interceptions.

Bowles also carried the ball 13 times for 57 yards, with one fumble.

Senior Daquarious Holman recorded five kickoff returns for 200 yards and a touchdown.

He was a defensive standout, as well, with two interceptions and one pass break-up.

Another key defensive player for the Knights was junior Bryce Leake, who recorded nine tackles and four assists.

Wallace sought to highlight everyone equally in his review of the game.

“It wasn’t really an individual that stood out to me,” he said. “It was the concept of team, and that’s what I told them after the game.”

Buckingham (1-7) has a bye this week, allowing time for healing and evaluation of recovering players, including Javon Jones, Brandon Moseley and Brycen Newby, who were seriously injured in an on-field collision at Goochland High School on Oct. 7.

The Knights host Randolph-Henry High School on Friday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m.