GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Greensboro Green Colt All-Stars will add to the organization's storied history this week.
For a tournament-record 27th time, the All-Stars will compete in the Colt World Series in Marion, IL. The 16u team won the East Zone championship to advance to this year's tournament.
While the All-Stars have been to the World Series more than two dozen times, their only championship came in 1965.
"Hopefully we can bring back the trophy this year," said Coach Pella Stokes. "All the kids are focused, we've got a good group of kids from all over Guilford County, some from even Rockingham County and Alamance County. So, we've got a good group, and I think we're going to do very well this year."
Some players, like shortstop Isaiah Rhem, were on last year's team that also made it to the World Series. He's determined to bring home a title this summer.
"We hope to make a statement of winning a championship, and to make a name for ourselves, and to come back in the future and keep doing it," he said.
Shortstop Luke Jenkins added, "We've got some high expectations, got a community looking around us, so it should be fun."
"To be a part of having a championship team, you know, you can say, 'I was there for that,'" said second baseman Devin Tonkins. "You can tell your kids, 'I was on that championship team.'"
The Greensboro Colt All-Stars open this year's Colt World Series against a team from Seoul, South Korea, this Friday. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m. ET in Marion, IL.