LASKER – Junior quarterback Drew Pinnix will look to lead a young Northeast Academy squad to victory Friday night in their season opener against Trinity Academy.

While other teams may shudder at the thought of taking on last year’s state runners-up, the Eagles coach feels his team is ready for the challenge.

&uot;The bigger they are, the harder they fall,&uot; said second year head coach Skip Cook.

&uot;We expect this team will come in hungry because they were supposed to win it all last year,&uot; said Cook of Trinity, which fell to Southampton Academy (VA) in last year’s championship game.

&uot;Trinity is extremely well coached and they execute the fundamentals well,&uot; continued Cook.

&uot;We’re going to have to play our very best to beat them.

&uot;It will take 110% effort to hold them back,&uot; he added. &uot;If we’re within reach of them in the fourth quarter, then we’ve got a chance.&uot;

Northeast will take the field with only four seniors on the roster and without senior captain Barry Barrett, who was lost for the season after a preseason injury.

&uot;We’re faster and larger than last year, but we’re young,&uot; Cook said.

The Eagles’ roster boasts eight sophomores and eight freshmen that may be called to action.

The Eagles last meeting with Trinity in 2003 resulted in a loss for Northeast, but Cook is hopeful the scoreboard will be in the Eagles’ favor this year.

&uot;We’ve worked hard in practice conditioning and learning from our mistakes,&uot; Cook said.

&uot;We hope to be in the right place at the right time.&uot;

Kickoff for the Eagles will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday night.