In the 2018 NHSI, Orange Lutheran High School (Orange, Calif.) became the second school in NHSI history to defend its title when it secured the 2018 championship with a dominant 9–3 victory over Green Hope High School (Cary, N.C.) in the final. Green Hope went on an historic run en route to its runner-up finish, not only becoming the first North Carolina school to reach the NHSI championship game, but also the first to advance past its opening round game in the event. National Team Championships The USA Baseball National Team Championships in Florida and Arizona are the primary identification events for players to be considered for the 15U National Team and the 14U, 16U and 17U National Team Development Programs (NTDP). The National Team Championships first started in 1997 as the USA Junior Olympic Baseball Championships and was a joint venture between USA Baseball and the United States Olympic Committee. At its inception, the event was a tournament for 16-and-under travel baseball teams that was used to identify talent for the USA Baseball 16U National Team. When USA Baseball moved from New Jersey to Arizona in 1998, the then-56 team tournament moved out west, as well, where it was contested at the spring training homes of the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox/Arizona Diamondbacks. With the popularity and size of the event growing exponentially, it was expanded to a second location in 2001, once again including the East Coast with a location in Fort Myers, Florida. In 2009, the tournament was renamed and expanded once more, this time to include a second age group. Now called the National Team Championships, a 14U division was added to identify talent for the USA Baseball 14U national team. However, when the WBSC changed its international competition age groups from 16U to 15U in 2012, a 15U division was added to the National Team Championships for the new 15U national team, the 16U division was changed to 17U and the 17U and 14U divisions now funneled into the newly created NTDP. Through this event, which is still held annually in both Arizona and Florida, USA Baseball provides an opportunity for 400+ teams to showcase their ability against teams from all across the country. In Florida, the USA Baseball National Team Championships are held in Palm Beach County, Florida, at Roger Dean Stadium, the spring-training home of the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami