A rough start was too much for Greenwood to overcome against a veteran Lubbock-Cooper Liberty team on Friday night.

The No. 7-ranked Patriots jumped out a 21-0 lead and took advantage of Greenwood miscues in a 56-25 victory at First United Liberty Park in Lubbock.

Liberty (3-0) had a 14-0 lead before Greenwood even touched the ball.

After a 6-yard TD run by Talon Wilcox, the Patriots recovered the ensuing onside kick. Six plays later, the Wilcox added a 1-yard TD run.

The Rangers (2-1) fumbled on their ensuing possession and Liberty made them pay when JJ Thompson scored on a 13-yard run for a 21-0 lead through the first quarter.

Greenwood got on the board early in the second quarter when Andrick Rodriguez threw a 25-yard TD pass to Hyden McNutt. After a 2-point conversion, the Rangers cut it to 21-8.

The Patriots continued to dominate the rest of the first half as a Greenwood red zone fumble led to a 79-yard TD pass from Cy Leach to Pierce Fioroni.

Then with the Rangers inside the Patriots’ 5-yard line, Luke Livingston picked off a shovel pass and raced 96 yards for a touchdown to give Liberty a commanding 42-8 advantage at the half.

Liberty led 49-8 late in the third quarter when Rodriguez found Grayson Leatherwood for a 21-yard TD pass to cut it to 49-15.

Leatherwood added his second TD of the night early in the fourth quarter when he caught a 28-yard pass from Rodriguez in traffic to cut it to 49-23.

The Rangers added a safety when the Patriots snapped the ball through the back of the end zone late in the fourth quarter.

Leatherwood finished with five catches for 86 yards and two TDs; McNutt added seven catches for 106 yards and a TD; Rodriguez was 16-of-29 passing for 225 yards, three TDs and an interception, to go with 39 yards rushing on 12 carries; and Jackson Audas added 133 yards rushing on 18 carries.

Quarterback Cy Leach was 11-of-11 passing for 243 yards; Fioroni had six catches for 142 yards; Koleman Hendrix had four catches for 63 yards; Talon Wilcox had 77 yards rushing and three TDs on 15 carries; and Brecken Wilcox added 73 yards rushing and a TD on seven carries.

The Rangers will look to bounce back at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 when they host Wichita Falls Legacy.