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Ephraim • It won't be easy replacing all-everything quarterback Jake Kuresa, but Snow College coach Britt Maughan believes he's found the guy.
Bingham High product Stefan Cantwell is the new Badgers quarterback. An all-around athlete, he was The Salt Lake Tribune's baseball MVP in 2011.
"We lost Alex, who was a huge part of our offense," Maughan said. "But Stefan has come in and filled the leadership role Alex had. He's also done really well running the offense and getting everybody working together."
Kuresa threw for 2,374 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. He also ran for 592 yards and eight TDs before signing with Portland State.
Cantwell has earned the job as Kuresa's replacement, Maughan said, and will lead an experienced offense into a season of great expectations. Snow is ranked eighth in the country in the NJCAA preseason poll.
Eight offensive starters return for the high-powered Badgers, who averaged 42 points per game in 2014. The group includes tight end Dalton Fackrell and wide receiver Jonah Trinnaman, who caught 51 passes for 753 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
Fackrell and Trinnaman will help take some pressure off Cantwell.
"I have been really pleased with their progression," Maughan said. "You usually don't say that about a returning starter because you already expect them to be good. But they have grown leaps and bounds."
The Badgers' key game of the season could come quickly. On Sept. 12, they visit Arizona Western, which is ranked fourth nationally.
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Snow College schedule
All times Mountain
Aug. 29 • Snow 24, Mesa CC 21
Sept. 12 • at Ariz. Western, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19 • at Scottsdale CC, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26 • vs. Glendale CC, 1 p.m.
Oct. 3 • at Phoenix College, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10 • vs. N.M. Military Institute, noon
Oct. 17 • at Eastern Ariz. College, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24 • vs. Pima College, noon