Troup’s 13-14-year-old all-stars have worked hard to get to this point.

Today, the team will open up play in the Dixie Boys Baseball World Series, a goal that the team and its coaching staff has been working toward since the start of the all-star season.

Troup will go up against Halifax County, Va. at 7 p.m.

“We are ready to go,” coach Andy Buchanan said. “We practiced (Friday) morning at the high school and worked on our infield and outfield play and ran through some drills and did a lot of hitting in the cages. A lot of the guys are ready to get out there and show what they can do.”

For most of the players on the Troup squad, this will be their second trip to the state tournament, as they participated last year in the 13-year old age division.

Jaylen Colton, one of the players who participated in last year’s World Series, said it’s important to get off to a quick start.

“I really want to win that first game,” Colton said. “We have been ready to play since the state tournament, and I really want to get out there and show what the team can do.”

The team is looking to expand on the success that it found playing in the state tournament in Covington.

In that tournament, Troup was led by a juggernaut offense that outscored its opponents 87-33, and a lights out pitching staff which struck out which averaged almost eight strikeouts per game.

On the final day of the tournament, Troup lost to Newton County in a wild game, 17-16, before rebounding to win the final game 5-3.

Jake Norton and Caleb Buchanan each posted batting averages above .500 during the state tournament, and Dustin Vaught, Dre Leonard and John Patterson each hit better than .400 for the week.

Chase Pardue also had a big tournament with a .391 average, and Matt Morton was right at the .300 mark.

On the mound, Troup’s pitching depth came into play in the final game, when Vaught and Norton combined for a five-hitter.

Coach Buchanan said the joy the players showed after winning the championship was priceless.

“This is what you work to do, to see the joy and excitement on their faces when it’s all over,” Buchanan said after the championship game. “That’s what you work hard for. They are a great bunch of boys. They are great athletes and this is a wonderful time in their lives.”

On Friday, with the anticipation for the opening game building up to almost a fever pitch, the team competed in an all around skills competition that featured a home-run derby, infield and outfield skills, and running competitions.

Five members of the team, Morton, Clayton Vaught, Dustin Vaught, Norton and Drew Elliston, combined to win the infield competition.

Buchanan said that participating in the event was a good thing for the team because it allowed the players to relax for a while and forget about the stress of competition.

“The skills competition is a fun time for the guys and will help get them relaxed and get ready to play,” Buchanan said.