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The Pike Liberal Arts Patriots (0-4) hosted Class 4A’s No. 1-ranked Montgomery Catholic Knights (5-0) for Homecoming on Friday night and lost by a score of 56-0.

Montgomery Catholic jumped out to a 35-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. The Knights opened the scoring on a 32-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Caleb McCreary to receiver Joshua Palmer to go up 7-0. Just two minutes later, Montgomery Catholic struck again on a 45-yard touchdown run from Auburn commit Jeremiah Cobb to put the Knights up 14-0 with 7:06 left in the opening period.

After a PLAS punt, the Patriots forced their first of two turnovers in the first half when linebacker John Lott intercepted a McCreary pass. After a quick Pike three-and-out, though, Montgomery Catholic’s Luke Harkless returned a punt 75 yards for another touchdown. A few minutes later, Harkless caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from McCreary to put the Knights ahead 28-0 with 1:50 left in the first quarter. Cobb scored his second touchdown of the game on an 80-yard run as time expired in the first quarter to give Montgomery Catholic a 35-0 lead going into the second quarter.

The Knights added to their lead on a 25-yard scoring run from McCreary with 4:44 left in the first half to go up 42-0. The Patriots forced their second turnover late in the half, though, when Cade Renfroe dove on a muffed punt inside the Knight 10-yard line. PLAS quarterback Dawson Bradford’s third down pass was intercepted at the Knight 4-yard line, though, snuffing out that scoring opportunity. Montgomery Catholic went into halftime up 42-0.

The Knights opened up the second half with another quick score when McCreary heaved a 63-yard touchdown pass to Harkless to put Montgomery Catholic up 49-0. The Knights took that 49-0 lead into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Montgomery Catholic added to the lead on a 6-yard touchdown run from Jamarion Williams to give the Knights the 56-0 win.

The Patriots are back on the road next week at Danville.