Cornell has had a rough start to the season after making the jump from Class A to AA.

And the Raiders won't get a break this week.

Cornell (0-4, 0-4) will play its fifth straight Tri-County North Conference game when it hosts Mars at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Raiders' Frank Lettieri Stadium in Coraopolis.

Cornell lost last week to Shenango, 34-8, while Mars made the most of its one nonconference game this year, thumping host New Brighton, 35-0.

The Raiders other losses came to Mohawk (30-0), Laurel (35-6) and Riverside (28-12). They have been outscored 127-26 so far.

But fifth-year coach Denny Shazer said Cornell's glass is anything but empty.

"After our first four games, we believe that we can play at the (Class) AA level," he said. "We're playing together as a team more than we have in the past."

Cornell's male enrollment would keep it at Class A, but, for the past few years, the school has been part of a co-operative with Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

In recent years, the Raiders have played in Class A's Big Seven Conference with the likes of Rochester, Monaca and South Side Beaver.

But both schools' male enrollment put it just over the limit for Class A when the WPIAL made its latest re-alignment. Shazer estimates that only 10 percent of his team comes from OLSH.

The Raiders most dangerous player is senior Torsten Brown, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound wide receiver.

"He's a player that can catch the ball and change the game," said Planets' coach Scott Heinauer.

At the other end of Cornell's aerial attack is senior quarterback Matt Linarelli, who started as a junior.

The tailback in the Raiders' Pro Style offense is Beau Chermer, a 5-10, 170-pound junior.

Cornell's biggest challenge will be on defense.

Mars fullback Bill Bair has rushed for 811 yards and 11 scores in four games, including 216 yards and four touchdowns in last week's win.

With Mars dominating the scoreboard against New Brighton, Bair was pulled from action in the second half.

The Planets ended the night with a huge advantage in offensive yards (334-111), holding the Lions to just 24 rushing yards on 30 attempts.

"Last week was the most complete game we've played in a couple of years," said Heinauer. "We have to be happy about that, but we can't get too over-confident."

The breakout game came just one week after Mars (3-1, 2-1) failed to defend its home field in a 41-35 loss to Shenango.

This week's game against Cornell will be the start of five straight weeks of conference play for the Planets.

Heinauer said his team is in no position to look past any team.

"You watch (Cornell) on tape and they've got some good players," he said. "They will end up putting it together at some point."