JEFFERSON TWP - Knoch football coach Mike King stood in the middle of his cold, damp home field and shook his head.

"This is your home field - it's homecoming," King said. "I don't care who it is. There comes a point in time when enough is enough and you gotta play football, and I'm not sure if we were ready to play football tonight."

The Knights weren't ready for much of what Plum threw - and ran - at them Friday night in a disheartening 42-8 defeat.

Plum (1-5) was coming off a 63-0 loss to McKeesport and was without its leading rusher, Ryan Webb, who was ejected from that game and had to sit out this one.

No problem. Steve Jeannette, a backup defensive back, filled in and gained 129 yards on just 18 carries.

"He hasn't played tailback this season - he's a defensive back - but he did a real nice job for us," said Plum coach Bill Rometo.

Jeannette scored three touchdowns, two on runs and one on a short pass. His 23-yard scoring run put Plum ahead 7-0 in the first quarter and his 4-yard touchdown reception from Gino Rometo gave the Mustangs a 21-0 advantage at halftime.

Jeannette wasted little time getting going in the second half, scoring on a 25-yard run to make it 28-0 midway through the third quarter.

The key was Plum's offensive line, which drove back Knoch's front most of the contest.

"We have to address some issues there," King said. "We need to take a long, hard look at what we got up front."

When Knoch did get people around the football, Jeannette and company found ways to squirt free.

"We've got to play better defense," King said. "We have to play team defense and gang tackle. What I saw tonight - we got some people at the point of attack, then didn't get any help."

Knoch's secondary was also exposed as Gino Rometo threw for 194 yards and four touchdowns.

He hit Tyler Schmeck on touchdown passes of 12 and 24 yards in the fourth quarter.

"He could have been better in the first half," said Bob Rometo, who is not only Gino Rometo's coach, but also his father. "But he played pretty well in the second half. He had a decent game."

Knoch (2-4) also was without its starting tailback, Alex Whisler, because of a lacerated spleen suffered early in the 13-12 win over Highlands last Thursday.

Whisler played most of that game with the injury, but is out for the season.

King shuffled a plethora of backs in and out of the lineup until finding a spark with Curtis Howard.

Howard rushed for 94 yards on 10 carries, including a 24-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. He showed a quick burst through the line and a little shiftiness in the open field.

The 6-foot, 180-pound junior was the lone bright spot for Knoch.

"I found a kid who can run it," King said. "Curtis lost a battle to Whisler at the beginning of the season, so we kicked him out to receiver."

Now Knoch faces three key conference games, starting with Franklin Regional at home next Friday.

"We have to re-gather and see what we can come up with," King said.