By Billy Harrell

Senior Sports Writer

AHOSKIE – Northeast Academy ended the Cinderella run of Pungo Christian Academy’s junior varsity boy’s team here Friday.

PCA won two rounds to secure the team’s first-ever appearance in the championship game of the Lt. Nick Brantley Scholarship Tournament sponsored by United Country Joe Murray Realty and the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald.

Northeast, however, made their return to the tourney after a year’s absence count as they knocked off the Raiders 36-22 to secure the tournament title.

Logan Simonovich led the Eagles with 16 points while Ryan Williams added 13. Hunter Sutton paced Pungo with eight points.

Simonovich started the contest with back-to-back hoops and a free throw to give the Eagles a 5-0 lead. Pungo got on the board thanks to a Cole Woolard free throw before Sutton scored his first hoop to cut it to 5-3.

Northeast then scored the final three points of the quarter – thanks to a free throw by Williams and a basket by Simonovich – and led 8-3 after one period of play.

Simonovich and Trey Futrell had back-to-back buckets to open the second quarter as Northeast pushed ahead 12-3.

PCA, however, rallied thanks to a field goal and two free throws from Thomas Mann as they closed to within five (12-7) at halftime.

Simonovich started the third quarter just as he had the first two, by scoring the first basket. Pungo then got a hoop from Sutton to close back within five.

Northeast, however, controlled the rest of the period, outscoring Pungo 7-2 behind five points from Williams and a pair from Bo Daniel. The Raiders’ only score came from a Mann hoop.

Northeast led 21-11 after three quarters.

Laquan Weston scored from the free throw line to start the fourth quarter, cutting the Northeast lead to nine, but Williams scored the next seven points on his own as the Eagles pulled away to a 28-12 lead and never looked back.

The Eagles had advanced to the finals with a victory over Bethel Christian Academy while Pungo reach the last game with wins over Lawrence Academy and Ridgecroft School.