LASKER – It wasn’t the outcome Northeast Academy was hoping for.

The Eagles battled, but fell to visiting Word of God 34-26, when the clock struck zero.

Northeast had come back from a 34-20 deficit to get within eight, only to have Word of God kneel the ball as time expired.

Trailing by 14, the Eagles got a 26-yard touchdown run by James Pope in the fourth quarter, but that’s as close as it would get.

The Eagles were able to take an early lead, however, thanks to a quality offensive start.

On the first drive of the game, Davis Harrell orchestrated a drive that would put Northeast on the board first with a five-yard touchdown run.

On the ensuing kickoff NEA recovered the onside kick.

The Eagles wouldn’t be able to capitalize, however, as the ball picked off by Word of God defender Claytin Lewis, who returned it to the Northeast 46.

Word of God scored with on a 36-yard scamper by Qwentareus Yarborough with six minutes remaining in the first quarter to deadlock it 6 – 6.

On what seemed to be a repeat of NEA’s first drive, Justin Francis scored on a 14-yard run to make 12 – 6 and NEA recovered another onside kick, but lost the ball on downs.

Word of God couldn’t capitalize with the football as penalties snapped their drive to paydirt short and had to settle for a three-and-out.

After a 50-yard drive, Davis Harrell once again found paydirt from three yards out as NEA pushed its lead to 20 – 6 with five minutes remaining in the second quarter.

WOG wouldn’t go away as they scored on a six-play drive capped off by a 35-yard run by Lewis to make it 20 -12 at halftime.

Yarborough came out after halftime and toted the ball six times until he scored and converted the two-point conversion to make it 20 – 20 with eight minutes left to play in the third.

Northeast’s next possession was a long drive with over 10 plays and covering over 40 yards only to turn the ball over on downs which resulted in a 46-yard touchdown run by Lewis to put WOG up 28 – 20.

WOG and NEA would exchange the pigskin two more times before WOG capitalized on a NEA fumble and scored again to make it 34 – 20 with under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

NEA would score again, but WOG had already sealed the deal.

(Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald Sports Writer Tommy Bryant contributed to this story.)