YULEE, Fla. — Yulee High School Baseball is still looking to win its' first state championship.
With a talented group of freshmen and sophomores, Coach Fred Matricardi's Hornets are in prime position to make history over the next couple years.
The Hornets are off to a 6-2 start to the season.
After several tough seasons, this year's team is led by young talent, including freshman Tripp Hannah.
"Everyone wants to win here. It's just a great feeling when you know that everyone's on the same page and they gotta do what it takes. No one cares about their batting average here. The only stat that matters here is the wins," Hannah said.
Hannah transferred to Yulee Middle School before the seventh grade, so he could play for Yulee High School Baseball Coach Fred Matricardi.
"He was just like 'Hey, come play for me. I can get you where you wanna go.' And I was like 'alright' so we moved out here and the best decision I ever made. Being a seventh grader getting to practice with the varsity guys really just made me wanna step up and see who I need to pass to be where I wanna be in a few years," Hannah said.
Hannah led the Yulee Middle School team to a 35-3 record and two county championships the last two years.
He was recently invited to a baseball camp at Oklahoma State and impressed the coaches there enough that they offered him.
Hannah committed to the Cowboys back in February.
"I went up there and the place was awesome. Amazing facilities and top of the line coaches. I mean their staff they had multiple guys that played in the major leagues and the field was awesome and they just upgraded their facility and it just blew me away and I can't wait to get up there," Hannah said.
The Hornets freshman shortstop isn't the only name you should keep an eye on.
Eighth grader Preston Matricardi recently committed to Florida State and has big goals on the diamond.
"This year I wanna win the county championship and next year I wanna compete for a state championship. Hopefully get one," Matricardi said.
Matricardi has led Yulee Middle to county championships in baseball and basketball, as well as in football as the team's starting quarterback.
He and Hannah have played baseball together since he was nine years old and he can't wait to reunite with him next year on the varsity squad.
For now though, he's focused on setting an example on and off the diamond for his teammates.
"I mean I have to be a role model and show 'em, like, you can't just not work hard you have to make sure you're doing everything right but do the right thing when no one's looking," Matricardi said.
Hannah, Matricardi and their teammates are hoping to bring not one, but multiple rings home to Nassau County over the next couple years.
"They weren't great last year but you gotta trust in Coach Matricardi he's gonna get us to the right place and we got some talent here so if we can bring one back here it just means a lot more," Hannah said.