NEW ORLEANS — Last month they were the Pedal Valves Cardinals, representing several high school teams throughout the New Orleans area.

This month, they are Team Louisiana, representing the state in the American Legion Mid-South Regional Tournament and hoping to do so again next week at the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C.

The Cardinals (26-6) begin their quest at 4:30 p.m. today as they take on the Kansas state champion at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium on the campus of Delgado Community College.

Teams from Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and the host team, Jesuit-based Retif Oil, also will be vying for the trip to the championship tournament.

It is the team’s second consecutive appearance in the Mid-South Regional in its second summer of existence.

“It’s definitely nicer to be at home and playing on fields we’re familiar with,” coach Danny Rhiem said. “We learned a lot from our experience last year.”

Pedal Valves went to the tournament last summer in Arkansas but were eliminated after back-to-back losses.

Last month. Pedal Valves, which includes former Riverside Academy players Connor Poche and Mason Vicknair and former St. Charles Catholic players Zack Roussel and Justin Ory, won the state champion by beating St. Charles Catholic-based Townsend Homes, 8-4.

Pedal Valves had to battle its way through the rain-soaked and often delayed American Legion Southeast Regional tournament just to get to the State Tournament.