Pleasant Home’s River Baldwin will be among 24 high school seniors set to participate in the 2019 McDonald’s All-American game next week in Atlanta.

“It really just means that all the hard work that I’ve put in the past five year is starting to pay off,” Baldwin said. “It’s just a great honor.”

Baldwin said she is looking forward to playing with and against the most talented players in the country.

“I’m getting to reconnect with some of the girls that I met at the Team USA trials,” Baldwin said. “I’m exciting to play with them and play against some of them. It will be a good competition.”

Joining Baldwin as an All-American will be one of her future Florida State teammates Sammie Puisis.

“I’m super excited for, I guess, the preview of our team chemistry,” Baldwin said. “She will also be my roommate. We’ve stayed in touch pretty well for about two years now.”

Playing in such a big game is what excites her the most, Baldwin said.

“I think it’s just getting to play on a such a large stage,” Baldwin said. “Honestly, I will probably be pretty nervous, but I’m just excited to get play and be a part of the legacy that is the McDonald’s All-American.”

Baldwin said she imagines most of the players will be dealing with nerves at the start of the game.

“I will probably just take comfort knowing that everyone else is probably nervous too,” Baldwin said. “They will be there to build me up and keep my head straight.”

The McDonald’s All-American games will be played on March 27 in Atlanta. The girls’ game begins at 4 p.m., and the boys’ game begins around 6 p.m.

Games may be watched live on ESPN.