BUTLER TWP — Butler Township is at it again.

The community’s 12-year-old baseball team rolled to the District 25 championship last week and begins sectional play in Bradford Saturday.

Winner of that four-team, double-elimination tournament heads to State College for the state tournament. Butler Township has not won the state tourney since 2006.

That team went on to the Mid-Atlantic Regional in Bristol, Conn. Current Butler Township coach Doug Ford believes he has a similar contender on his hands.

“I personally feel that way,” Ford said. “This is the first team we’ve had since then that has that kind of pitching.”

Butler Township outscored the competition 31-1 in winning the district title — defeating Oil City 15-0, Franklin 11-1 and again 5-0. Franklin’s team finished third in the state as 11-year-olds last season.

Butler Township’s current 12-year-olds also won District 25 as 10-year-olds, only to lose a close game to McLane in sectional play. McLane fugures to be among the sectional field this year.

“I’m sure these kids would like to avenge that loss,” Ford said. “All but three of them were on that 10-year-old team and they remember it well.

“Kaden Rock had a no-hitter through five innings of that game. McLane finished second in the state that season.”

Rock and Grant Clawson combined to strike out five and toss a no-hitter against Oil City in the district opener, a 15-0 win. Rock and Alec Bayer homered while Rock, Bayer, Jarret Lyon, Walker Ziegler and Jefferson Ford all had two hits.

Cade Negley struck out seven in an 11-1 win over Franklin. Bayer homered again while Rock, Negley and Sam Gross all had two hits.

Rock and Tucker Skerbetz combined on a nine-hit shutout, striking out 10, in a 5-0 win over Franklin in the title game. Ford had a double and two singles and Lyon had two hits.

“The kids lean on Kaden a little bit, but they can all hit the ball,” Ford said. “Our No. 8 hitter gets three hits in a game, so we’re producing from top to bottom.”

Prior to the district tourney, Butler Township won three of the four All-Star tournaments it played in. BT won the Meridian, West Middlesex and Freeport tournaments,

The team’s regular lineup features Gross at catcher, Ford at first base, Bayer at second, Rock or Negley at shortstop, Clawson at third, Lyon in left field, Skerbetz in center and Ziegler in right.

Adam Longdon and Phillip Vandegrift contribute off the bench.

Coach Ford believes success has bred success in Butler Township baseball.

“These kids see other teams do it and they get inspired,” he said. “Plus, if you play with better kids, you get better.

“This team is capable of going a long way. It has good pitching, good hitting, plays solid defense and they believe in each other.”