Buckingham County High School’s varsity football team traveled to Chatham High School on Friday and delivered a strong performance to earn a 27-0 win, the Knights’ first victory over the Cavaliers since 2015.

The Knights were coming off a 44-7 season-opening road loss the week prior to three-time defending Virginia High School League Class 2 state champion Appomattox County High School. But Friday showed Buckingham had grown from that experience.

“I think we just played a little bit better on both sides of the ball than we did the week before,” Wilkerson said. “We just looked like we’re improving, and we need to keep improving week to week.”

At halftime Friday, the Knights led 7-0 and added three more unanswered touchdowns in the second half.

Multiple standouts spearheaded a pivotal Buckingham defensive effort.

“(Quantarius) ‘Q.T.’ Stanton and Walter Edwards led the team,” Wilkerson said. “Each of them had six tackles. Thomas Test, he did a good job up front on the defensive line.”

Edwards, a junior linebacker/running back, also had a forced fumble, and junior defensive lineman Cole Edmondston had two tackles for a loss and a sack.

On offense, Edwards finished with 18 carries for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Xavier Copeland had six carries for 59 yards and two catches for 19 yards. Filling in for injured sophomore quarterback Gerry Toney, sophomore Cameron Taylor gained 31 yards and a score on eight carries. Sophomore running back Mekkha Carmon ended up with three carries for 12 yards and a touchdown.

In their home opener Friday, the Knights (1-1) will host Amelia County High School at 7 p.m.