Randolph-Henry High School’s varsity football team twice held the lead Friday night against visiting Central Lunenburg High School, but an injury to senior standout Tyrie Blow-Tydings hurt efforts in the second half, helping the Chargers pull away for a 55-29 victory.

“We didn’t get a defensive stop all night,” Statesmen Head Coach Zach Orlando said. “That was part of the issue.”

Blow-Tydings, Randolph-Henry’s leading rusher and standout defender, went down with a knee injury just before halftime.

Orlando said Monday that the severity of the injury was still unknown, indicating that Blow-Tydings could be out for the rest of the season or he could be back later this week.

The absence of Blow- Tydings was felt on the field for both teams Friday night.

“Not an excuse not to be able to get a stop, but it hurt us more defensively than it did offensively,” Orlando said. “We’ve got some other pieces on offense that can carry the football, but he is the one guy on defense that we really got that has been consistent all year about making tackles.”

Blow-Tydings has been playing linebacker, but he has also spent time on the defensive line as both a tackle and an end.

Offensively, Randolph-Henry was still able to produce, with junior Treymon Roberts carrying the ball 20 times for 135 yards and two touchdowns.

Blow-Tydings had 86 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

The Statesmen (0-6) host Nottoway High School on Friday at 7 p.m.

Orlando served as an assistant coach for the Cougars for several years prior to coming to Randolph-Henry this year, and he brings comprehensive knowledge on the challenge his new team will face.