LASKER – Northeast Academy claimed victory at the Tarheel Independent Conference golf tournament last week.

Now they hope to reclaim the state title they first won in 2004.

The Eagles leave Sunday for Southern Pines to face the top seven teams in the state at Hyland Hills Golf Resort. Northeast is ranked sixth in the eight-team field.

Coach Scott Emory will be taking a mix of veterans and rookies to this year’s tournament.

Juniors Drew Pinnix and Ryan Davis are the only remaining members of the state championship team. Davis has been competing on the team for five years and Pinnix for three.

They are the undisputed leaders of this Eagles team according to their coach.

Davis had the low round in the conference tournament with a 71, one shot under par, making him a medalist.

Pinnix was not far behind, hitting a 75.

Both players have competed all year for the number one ranking on the Eagles team, with Pinnix hitting a 76.2 average on the season and Davis a 76.4.

&uot;All the boys, especially Ryan and Drew, are playing as good a golf as they have all year,&uot; said Emory.

Also representing Northeast is number three seed Justin Barnes.

The freshman has played two years for Emory.

&uot;Justin will be there and he has been there all year,&uot; Emory said.

Also playing at the state tournament will be senior Buddy Duke, sophomore Parker Brown and seventh-grader Will Allen.

Also making the trip as an alternate is senior Jeremy Canady.

Allen, Canady and Brown are all making their first trip to the state tournament while Duke is in his second year on the team.

The team earned their sixth place ranking by going 29-1 on the season, losing only to Hobgood.

Six schools, Ridgecroft, Lawrence, Hogood, Albermarle, Terra Ceia and Northeast, field golf teams in the conference.

The teams have met five teams over the season.

&uot;The last three matches we’ve had in the regular season the guys have played their best golf so they’re playing their best golf now,&uot; Emory said. &uot;As a coach you want to see them playing their best at the end of the season rather than starting strong and fading.&uot;

They will need their best golf as the Eagles face stiff competition from several schools including Cresset Christian and Wayne Christian School.

The Eagles will be able to play a practice round at Hyland Hills on Sunday afternoon in preparation for the start of the tournament Monday.

It is a two-day tournament with teams shooting the same 18 holes both days.

Each team is allowed to field six players.

The scores from the top four players are averaged to get a daily team score, but it does not have to be the same four players each day.

The scores are then added together to determine the state champion team.

Players from Northeast will be competing as a team but also for individual honors.

They are not the only players from the Roanoke-Chowan area competing for individual honors.

Junior Win Joyner from Ridgecroft School and Marshall Ellis of Lawrence Academy will also be in Southern Pines competing at the State Tournament.