The 2010 Corinth High football team features several freshmen "and guys who have never put on a uniform until last spring," says its head coach, Jimmy Mitchell.

Through its first two games of this season, Corinth sits at 0-2, following a pair of seven-point losses to Class 4A teams Senatobia and New Albany.

"We gotta grow up some more," said Mitchell. "That's the bottom line. This (game against New Albany) helped us immensely."

And even though his team lost 14-7 at New Albany, the Daily Journal's third-ranked large school, on Friday night, Mitchell can certainly be proud of his team's effort.

"I thought the defensive effort was good," the veteran coach said of his Class 3A team. "The kids on both sides of the ball are playing hard. ...

"Our guys played well. I'm really pleased with them. I'm disappointed that we didn't win. It's one of those deals where we played hard enough to win, but we just didn't make the plays that you have to make to win.

"And once we learn to do that, then we will change things around."

For the next couple of weeks, Corinth's non-division schedule against Class 4A teams continues against the likes of Shannon, Tishomingo County and Itawamba AHS.

"We're going to have to step up again," Mitchell said of playing Shannon this coming Friday. "We'll have to improve some more to compete with them. That's what our plans are."

Despite their struggles to begin the season, look for the Warriors to once again contend for the Division 1-3A title.

“I think they’re (Corinth) the best team in that division out of Booneville, Ripley and them,” said New Albany senior quarterback Tyler Basil, whose team has played all three of those Division 1-3A teams this season.