NATCHEZ — While many local high school football teams are gearing up for game two of their season, Cathedral School is preparing for its first match up.

“We’re a week behind everyone else,” Cathedral head coach Craig Beesley said. “We’re anxious to get on the field.”

The Green Wave’s first game looks to serve as a baptism by fire, as they are set to host Loyd Star today.

“They beat Franklin County, the No. 2 team in 3A last week,” Beesley said. “They’re a very physical team, so it’s going to be tough.”

Beesley said his players are showing good team chemistry this week in practice.

“We’ve come together a lot as a team,” Beesley said. “We’re installing a new system on offense, so it takes time. On defense, we’ve had good intensity, but I’d like to see even more intensity from them.”

Green Wave senior quarterback Dylan White said he’s noticed an increase of the energy level in practices since Monday.

“Over the week we’ve definitely gotten more intense,” White said. “We’re just trying to get ready.”

During Thursday’s practice, Beesley said things went well on Tuesday but several players received minor injuries on Wednesday.

“Tuesday was one of the best practices we’ve had so far this year,” Beesley said. “On Wednesday, Cameron Horton, Tyler Fleming and JaDarius Ealey got a little banged up. We plan to dress them out (today) and hopefully they’ll be able to get into the game.”

Having a lot of new faces starting for the Green Wave is another challenge for the Cathedral coaching staff.

“Seventeen of our 22 starters are new,” Beesley said. “It’s a learning process, but we’re going to keep getting better each week.”

White said he was pleased with how his teammates have responded to the challenges they’ve faced filling in as new starters.

“We’ve got a lot of guys who play both ways (on offense and defense) and are doing what they’re asked to,” White said.

Beesley said he’s hoping for a couple of breaks to go his team’s way tonight against Loyd Star.

“Our guys know what we’ve got coming,” Beesley said. “We need to make something positive happen early in the game for us. We have to avoid making turnovers and try to get a few turnovers ourselves.

Beesley described Loyd Star as being a team that mostly runs the ball, and said 58 of their 61 plays on offense last week were running plays.

White echoed his coach’s sentiments on what to look for from the Hornets.

“We expect power running and a power defense,” White said. “We have to make sure to get all of our blocking assignments down and hit the holes (at) 100 percent (speed).”