LASKER – Last year Northeast Academy finished an outstanding season at 7-5. The Eagles dropped their season opener in 8-Man Colonial Conference Football, but lost only three more times the rest of the regular season – each time to a 2A playoff team. After crushing Community Christian 58-22 in the semi-finals, they had a chance to avenge that season-opening loss, but fell once again to Southampton Academy, this time in the 1A NC Independent Schools Athletic Association title game.

Graduation also robbed the team of 2015 ‘Player-of-the-Year’ quarterback Matt Little. The job this season is handed off to Little’s successor, another senior, Austin Bradley. In the backfield he will have seniors Peyton Galloway and Josh Byrd at running back, while the offensive line will be anchored by senior Chandler Howell.

“We’ll start six seniors on offense,” said head coach Stevie Flythe. “We have experience coming back and the offense should be fine.”

Galloway will play at one defensive end spot, with senior Cole Rose at the other. Nick Trevino, a sophomore, will be the nose guard, and junior Luke Baker will staff the linebacking corps.

“We’ve also got returnees who played a lot on defense for us last year,” Flythe continued. “Our depth there should he just as good as last year. Actually, the defense could be better than last year as we are looking for big things from those guys.”

Northeast opens the season Aug. 26 at home in Lasker versus St. David’s School of Raleigh – a 2A state championship finalist from a year ago. Sept. 2 they will travel to Grace Christian in Raleigh. Sept. 9 may be a date the Eagles are marking on their calendars, because that’s when they cross the border to Courtland, VA and face Southampton, who’s now moved up to the 2A ranks.

Sept. 16 the Eagles will open conference play against Bethel Christian at home before traveling to Halifax Academy on Sept. 23. That will be followed by three straight home games: Community Christian on Sept. 30, Hobgood on Oct. 7, and new conference member, Wayne Christian, on Oct. 14. After an off-week on Oct. 21, the Eagles close the season on Oct. 28 in Merry Hill against bitter rival, Lawrence Academy.

“Our non-conference schedule is very tough,” said Flythe. St. David’s, Grace, and Southampton are all very strong teams. That’s when we will find out what we’re made of.

“The conference race is wide open now in the 1A division,” he continued. “Any team can win the league. Lawrence, Halifax, Community, Bethel, and Hobgood are all tough. There’s no easy game on our schedule.

“We’ve been working hard all summer and our goal is to finish high in the league and have a home playoff game,” Flythe concluded. “Last year we had a taste of the state championship; this year we want to win the state championship.”