MOULTRIE — As they prepare to open play in the District III tournament at the Magnolia Sports Complex today, the Colquitt County 14-and-under all-stars likely see a state championship as their ultimate goal.

They should know what it takes.

The team has six players who hoisted Georgia Recreation and Parks Association state championship trophies a year ago.

Vann Pitts and Matt Creech played on the Pony all-star team that won the state title in Waycross. Aubrey McCarty, Daren Kent, Tyler Yost and Blake Bennett were members of the Colquitt County 12-and-under all-stars who won the state championship in Dublin.

Those veterans and the other seven members of this year’s all-star team — Dillon Presley, Corey Moore, Bryce Giddens, Zach Wheeler, Austin Dykes, Landon Rehberg and Meagan May — will begin the quest for Colquitt County’s second-straight 14-and-under state championship when they meet Thomasville at 11 this morning in the seven-team, double-elimination district tournament in their home park. Robby Pitts is the team’s coach.

Win or lose at 11 a.m., the all-stars will play again at 1 p.m. The tournament will continue on Monday and the championship game will be played at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The winner will represent District III in the state tournament, to be played in Lyons.

The district tournament will open at 9 this morning with Bainbridge facing Lee County and Sylvester squaring off with Grady County.

The Sylvester-Grady County will meet Tift County, which drew a first-round bye. The Colquitt County-Thomasville winner will play the Bainbridge-Lee County winner.

On Monday, while the District III 14-and-under tournament continues, the District III 12-and-under best-of-3 championship series will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a doubleheader between Colquitt County and Thomasville.

Colquitt County won one sub-District tournament in Moultrie on Thursday. Thomasville won the other sub-District tournament in Cairo. The winner will advance to the state tournament in Lyons.

Also on Monday, Colquitt County’s two 10-and-under all-star teams will play in the District III pitching machine tournament at the Crisp County Youth Ball Complex in Cordele.

The Colquitt County B-team will play first, facing Mitchell County at 5:30 p.m.

The A-team will play at 7 p.m. against the winner of the 5:30 p.m. game between Americus and Grady County.

The Colquitt County B-Mitchell County winner will play Worth County at 7 p.m. In other opening-round games, Thomasville YMCA will play Grady County at 5:30 p.m. and Bainbridge will meet Thomasville YMCA B at 7 p.m.

Losers bracket games begin Tuesday. The championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday. The tournament winner will return to Cordele for the state tournament.

Stephan Massey will coach the A team, which includes Codi Noble, Kevin Hall, Kodi Bishop, Cody Mullis, Wesley Singletary, Joseph Gould, Demetrius Walker, Jaquon Blakely, Trenton Hall, Wheeler Hunnicutt, Tristan Wells and Anthony Bryant.

Coach Don Price’s B-team includes Savonta Slaughter, Buck Blalock, Clayton Brooks, Kevin Snyder, Logan Wheeler, Trey Clark, Austin McCord, Hayden Bledsoe, Austin Singletary, Chason Fannin, Griffin Simmons, Taylor Buckner and Noah Moore.