SOUTHERN PINES – Sunday may be Mother’s Day, but some sons and daughters from the Roanoke-Chowan region will be on the golf course.

Eleven area golfers travel to Southern Pines tomorrow, where they will have a practice round on the Hyland Hills golf course, home of the 2007 1-A North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISSA) golf championships.

The two-day tournament starts Monday and will conclude Tuesday with the awarding of team and individual honors.

Northeast Academy enters the state tournament ranked fourth overall behind Wayne Christian, Kerr Vance and Cresset Christian.

The Eagles won the state tournament in 2004, and with two players from that team leading the charge this year Northeast is looking to bring another state championship back to Lasker.

Two other schools from the Tarheel Independent Conference, Terra Ceia Christian School and Hobgood Academy, will also be competing at the state tournament.

Eagles seniors Ryan Davis and Drew Pinnix are ranked second and third overall in a field of 116 golfers statewide. Both have a legitimate shot at bringing home the individual championship.

Justin Barnes is currently ranked 12 and will also be in the hunt.

Rounding out Northeast’s team will be Parker Brown, Will Allen and Brodie Harrell.

Northeast Head Coach Scott Emory feels good about his team’s chances.

“Other schools have one or two good players, but we have three really top notch golfers.

They are pretty consistent so you know about what they are going to do.”

“Our other players aren’t as experienced as those three but we have players that can score around 90,” he added. “Other schools have to take a fourth score of 105 or higher.”

Golf is unique in that golfers compete as individuals and as a team.

Each team can field up to six golfers and the four lowest scores are combined to reach a team score.

Eight teams qualified to compete at Hyland Hills.

In addition to the golfers from those teams, nine individuals whose schools did not qualify will also compete for the championship.

Win Joyner and Virginia Lane will be representing Ridgecroft while Lawrence’s Marshall Ellis, Sam Mitchell and Randy Davenport will also compete.

“We’ll be very well represented (at the state tournament),” said Emory.