Just call them the Endless Eleven, because they refuse to quit playing.

East Butler's 9- and 10-year-old all-star baseball team captured the District 25 championship last week by fighting off elimination five games in a row - coming from behind to win two of them - and defeating winners bracket champion A-C Valley twice on the latter's home field.

"It was crazy," East Butler coach John Oswald said. "I've never seen such a resilient bunch of kids.

"No matter what was going on out there, they never lost focus on the task at hand. They never believed any team was gonna knock them out."

East Butler takes on West Middlesex at 8 p.m. today in Corry to begin play in the six-team, double-elimination Section 2 Tournament.

Winner of that event advances to the state tournament.

"I'm not familiar with any of the other teams," Oswald said. "But our kids got here against all odds. I can't count them out."

East Butler began the District 25 tournament impressively enough, defeating South Clarion County 21-8. Winning pitcher Jordan Rodgers had five hits, including three doubles. Ryan McCrea added four singles, with Tyler Brown and Kyle Oswald collecting a double and two singles each.

But that win was followed by a 9-8 loss to Cranberry, sending East Butler to the losers bracket.

The team faced elimination the next day, trailing Clarion 10-9 entering the final inning.

Bobby Coyle delivered a bases-loaded triple and McCrea added a two-run triple to spark a six-run rally that gave East Butler a 15-10 win.

An 11-5 victory over Butler Township was followed by a tight 8-6 win over Cranberry.

Cranberry scored four runs in the top of the first, but East Butler scored four of its own in the bottom of the inning, led by Oswald's three-run triple.

Trailing 6-4 late in the game, consecutive singles by Tanner Gilliland, Dustin Kepple, McCrea, Brown and Tyler Suggs produced the four-run rally that sent East Butler to the championship round.

Suggs had three hits in the game, including a triple.

"It's not a stretch to say that all 11 of these guys contributed in this tournament," Coach Oswald said.

East Butler used five pitchers in the tournament. Rodgers was the ace of the staff, but Kepple, McCrea, Suggs and Colt Walker all pitched as well.

Still, tournament host and unbeaten A-C Valley stood between East Butler and the District 25 title.

"The tournament was played in Emlenton and they had record crowds there," Coach Oswald said.

East Butler held on for a 9-8 victory over A-C Valley, forcing a one-game showdown for the championship.

East Butler took an 8-0 lead in the first three innings, with Brown's two-run double in the third capping the offense. A-C Valley cut the margin to 8-4 entering its final at-bat.

Jeff Eaton's two-out three-run double sliced the margin to 8-7.

"I was out of visits to the mound, so our catcher (Suggs) and Kyle went to the mound to talk to Jordan," Coach Oswald said. "They still won't tell us what they talked about, but it did the trick."

Rodgers struck out the next batter to give East Butler its first 9- and 10-year-old district title since 2001. Coach Oswald's oldest son, Evan, played on that team.

This year's team consists of 11 10-year olds. Outfielders Cory Webb and Cody Preston round out the roster.

Bob Coyle and Bill Williams are assistant coaches for first-year head coach Oswald. Rod Hays was a substitute coach during the championship round.