Returning all of its core players from last season, Buckingham County High School’s varsity boys soccer team showed clear improvement this year.

After going 1-14-1 in 2017, the Knights finished the 2018 regular season with a 4-8-1 record.

“Early in the season, we were inconsistent,” Buckingham Head Coach Brett Whittington said. “Much like last season, we would play well for certain stretches of games and then we would just disappear for a period of time.”

He noted that two of the Knights’ losses this year came on late goals in games where they had played well but just could not finish.

“Our biggest problem this year has been scoring,” he said. “Early on in the season we just couldn’t find the back of the net. We would get opportunities but couldn’t convert. Thankfully we finished with fifteen goals in our last four matches, so hopefully, we can carry that into the regional playoffs.”

Buckingham, holding the No. 11 seed in the Region 2C tournament, was set to play host and No. 6 seed James River High School on Thursday.

“Entering the playoffs I just want to play as many games as we can,” Whittington said. “I told the team at practice that it is on their shoulders now. There is no more schedule. ‘You guys will determine how many more games we play.’”

The team had has been filled with important contributors on the field.

“Our senior captains, Ethan Caldwell and John Crews, have been massive for us this season,” the coach said. “They are our undisputed leaders but in different ways. Ethan is a high energy, high-intensity guy, our emotional leader. He has played midfield for us most of the season and will move to forward on occasion as well. John Crews is our calming influence. He never gets too high or too low.”

Whittington said junior forward Joshua Kodi has turned into the team’s offense.

“He has 13 goals which leads the team,” the coach said. “It took him some time to get used to the physical play but he started scoring for us and that was huge.”