Staff photo by Mike Buhler Cooter's Logan Edwards (45) slides into home plate ahead of the tag from Holcomb pitcher Chad Adams as the home plate umpire watches the play unfold during the second inning of Wednesday's Class 1, District 1 championship game at Cooter. [Click to enlarge]

COOTER, Mo. -- There were no big celebrations after the Cooter Wildcats won their third straight district title. No, the Wildcats will not be satisfied with just a district title this year.

Cooter scored early and often to roll to an 11-1 victory over the Holcomb Hornets in the championship game of the Class 1, District 1 Tournament here Wednesday, but the Wildcats were already thinking ahead to Monday's sectional contest.

"My freshman year we'd never won one. Now we've won three in a row," Cooter senior Aaron Brown said. "It feels good, but it's not going to be as sweet if we don't win in the sectional round. ... We want to win the next game now more than ever."

Staff photo by Mike Buhler Holcomb's Shane McElwrath (center) walks back to the dugout after hitting a fourth-inning home run against Cooter during Wednesday's Class 1, District 1 championship game. [Click to enlarge]

The Wildcats have lost to Oran in sectional play the last two years, including a 3-0 defeat last season.

"I told the kids today we needed to take it a step further," Cooter coach Alan Crawford said after Wednesday's game. "We've just got to rely on pitching and defense. You're not going to be able to outhit all those folks -- pitching and defense is where it's at."

Cooter (21-2) got plenty of everything Wednesday, rolling out to an 8-0 lead after three innings and holding Holcomb (10-12) to just three hits on the day.

Staff photo by Mike Buhler Cooter's Aaron McCaig delivers a pitch against Holcomb during Wednesday's Class 1, District 1 championship game at Cooter. [Click to enlarge]

The 'Cats didn't need long to take the lead, as Brown's one-out base hit up the middle in the bottom of the first inning chased home Aaron McCaig and Seth Childers for a 2-0 lead.

Cooter extended the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning when Logan Edwards scored on a wild pitch, then Jonathan Boone singled to left to bring home Zach Watkins and make it 4-0.

Brown drove in his third run of the day two batters later when he singled to left to score Childers, then Boone made it 6-0 when he stole third base and scored on a throwing error to cap the rally.

"They're a good hitting team," Holcomb coach Ben Nelson said. "They always have been. That's one of their strengths. Even against a No. 1 pitcher they're going to hit it hard. It just wasn't our day today."

After Boone singled in Edwards and Evan House to make it 8-0 in the bottom of the third inning, the Hornets scored their only run in the top of the fourth when Shane McElwrath drove a pitch over the left-field fence to make it 8-1.

The Wildcats iced the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. House -- who reached on a dropped third strike -- scored on an error, while Edwards scored on a grounder by Childers to make it 10-1. Watkins came home on a wild pitch to make it 11-1 and enforce the 10-run mercy rule.

McCaig was once again dominant on the mound Wednesday, holding Holcomb to just three hits and one walk while striking out five to remain undefeated on the spring.

"I thought defense on bunt plays got us going," said Crawford. "Then we got a couple of hits and McCaig kind of took over from that point on."

Boone, Brown and Watkins each had two hits for the Wildcats, while Boone and Brown each drove in three runs.

Both teams have a good shot to return to the district finals next season, as Cooter loses just three seniors and the Hornets say goodbye to just one senior starter, centerfielder Mikey Casey.

"I can't say enough about Mikey," said Nelson. "He's anchored our outfield and the middle of our lineup all year long. We're going to miss him."

Notes: Cooter will play at either Oran or Bernie in sectional action on Monday. Oran and Bernie are scheduled to meet in the Class 1, District 2 final this afternoon at Leopold. ... The Wildcats and Holcomb also played each other for the district title in 2005 and 2006, with the Hornets winning in 2005 and Cooter winning in 2006.