NATCHEZ — Last season Adams County Christian School had little trouble beating Friday’s opponent Riverdale Academy.

The Rebels cruised past Riverdale 54-6 to improve to 6-1 on the season, but new coach Hunter McKeivier said 2011 is a new season.

ACCS is a much younger team this season, McKeivier said, and the Rebels are currently sitting at 0-2.

“We beat them pretty good (last year),” he said. “But this isn’t last year. These are two totally different teams. Last year they were young and we were experienced, and this year it’s the exact opposite, we are young and they have experience.”

The Rebels look to get in the win column Friday after dropping their first two games to Cathedral and Hillcrest. But McKeivier said he did see some improvements and some things he liked in ACCS’s second contest.

“To be honest there were no positives in the first game,” he said. “But last week I was pleased with the way we played. The effort was there, but the execution was not. We just have to be consistent.”

McKeiver said his team really needed to focus on discipline this week in practice.

“We had 15 penalties for 120 yards last week, and it took us out of a couple of drives,” he said.

Reducing penalties and winning the turnover battle will be the main keys to Friday’s game, McKeivier said.

“We look to try to be plus two or three (in turnovers) each game,” he said.

McKeiver said Riverdale creates problems for his defense because they like to pass the ball.

“They have a good quarterback, good athletes and are a very big team,” he said. “Last week they threw 39 times, so we are working with our defensive coverages. But we are also trying to clean up what we did last week in giving up so many rushing yards.”

The Rebels will have to run the ball more effectively Friday to be successful, McKeivier said.

“We just weren’t executing our blocks properly, and the backs weren’t hitting the holes hard enough (in the first two games),” he said.

Even with the Rebels’ slow start this season, McKeivier said his expectations have not changed.

“Every Friday I expect to win. If not, what am I coaching for?” he said. “We expect a dog fight with Riverdale.”

ACCS will host Riverdale at 7 p.m. Friday.