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STANSBURY STALLIONS

The Hurry-up — Stansbury finished 7-4 overall, 3-3 in 3AA North, and lost to Snow Canyon in opening round of playoffs

With a break-even mark in region in 2015, Stansbury's players at season's end found themselves unsatisfied. Highly unsatisfied, according to Stallions coach Clint Christiansen.

"They weren't happy by any means about finishing third," he said.

Speed and quickness are the strong suits for Stansbury heading into this campaign, particularly on offense.

Backfield mates McCoy Didericksen and Casey Roberts are both returning starters and possess the speed to make breakaway plays.

"We can do more offensively. The downside is that we're not very big," Christiansen said. "We're kind of like the Naval Academy. We can score some points, but how many points are we going to give up?"

The Stansbury coach remains understated about his team's chances, although he does think the squad will be quite improved from '15.

"We've got a chance to be OK," Christiansen said. "We've got a pretty decent crew of kids."

Quarterbacks — Mitch McIntyre saw sparing action at QB a year ago, but got in more time as a running back and receiver. He'll be handed the reins to the Stallions' attack for his senior season and will have sophomore Jet Richins and junior Mitch Lindsay to back him up.

Running backs — It's actually hard to garner much more praise than Didericksen elicits from his coach. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound junior is "extremely fast, but better than that, extremely quick," Christiansen said. "He sees the field better than any kid I've coached." Roberts (6-0, 180) is a track speedster and the eldest member of the crew, and will be joined by junior Tavika Gagnier in the backfield rotation. Also in the mix will be seniors Jamin Peacock and Emilio Jaramillo, as well as junior Kyle McKenna.

Receivers — Matt McIntyre (6-2, 215) is the fraternal twin of Mitch, but won't get any "special treatment," according to the coach, when it comes to wideouts. Still, expect him to be a target often, along with senior Ryan Moody (5-8, 170) and junior Connor McKay (6-2, 190).

Offensive linemen — The middle of the Stansbury O-line seems to be in good shape, as three players return to starting positions. One is senior Steven Havili (6-1, 260) at the center spot, where he'll be flanked by returning guards Clayton Stanworth (6-1, 225) and Dante Thomas (6-0, 245), also seniors. The tackle starters haven't been determined yet, although Christiansen feels he has some solid talent vying for those spots.

Defensive linemen — Havili recorded 20 solo tackles as a junior, and he'll be a mainstay for Stansbury at defensive end for his senior season. The rest of the line might be young: McKenna could be another DE starter, while junior Dallon Brooks (6-1, 290) and sophomore Jebus Mead (6-2, 220) may line up in the middle at tackle slots.

Linebackers — Juniors will also be primary components in the middle of the Stallions' linebacking corps as Alex Taukei'aho (5-10, 210) and Stanworth return to positions where they did see significant action last year. Taukei'aho recorded 32 tackles as a sophomore while Stanworth got in on 64 stops.

Defensive backs — Matt McIntyre and Didericksen also figure to line up as either a linebacker or safety (called "money back," in Stansbury's scheme) and they'll be joined by Moody and McKay in the secondary. Look for Gagnier to provide stability at one cornerback spot, while Roberts mans the other.

Key Players

McCoy Didericksen, RB/OLB — As a sophomore, Didericksen rushed for almost 1,400 yards and was part of 42 tackles defensively.

Mitch McIntyre, QB — The 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior is a BYU baseball commit, but McIntyre will get a chance to hurl the football around before all that happens.

Steven Havili, C/DE — As he was in 2015, Havili figures to be a constant presence in the trenches, as he's a two-way returning starter for the Stallions.

Key Losses

Colton Christiansen, QB/S — Christiansen was the team's primary quarterback in 2015, throwing for 654 yards, although on only 85 attempts

Dillon Cox, DE — The team leader in tackles last year, Cox made 42 solo stops and assisted in 43 others.

Jordan Roberts, DE/WR — Roberts also got in on 48 tackles and, in addition, was also a receiving option for Christiansen.

Name To Know: Tavika Gagnier might be a menace to opposing quarterbacks, as the junior is considered a "lockdown" cornerback by Christiansen and a linchpin for the Stallions' pass defense.

2016 Schedule

Aug. 19 — Kearns, 7 p.m.

Aug. 27 — vs. Minico (Idaho), 10 a.m.

Sept. 2 — Grantsville, 7 p.m. (Won, 53-12, in 2015)

Sept. 9 — at Tooele, 7 p.m. (Lost 27-16)

Sept. 16 — at Judge Memorial, 7 p.m. (Won 27-13)

Sept. 23 — Park City, 7 p.m. (Lost 38-28)

Sept. 30 — at Ridgeline, 7 p.m.

Oct. 7 — Logan, 7 p.m. (Lost 52-23)

Oct. 13 — at Ben Lomond, 7 p.m. (Won 56-20)

Oct. 19 — Bear River, 7 p.m. (Won 34-12)

Verdict: In a balanced and deep region, Stansbury will be right there at the top fighting for a 3AA North championship and a prime spot in the playoffs.

Projected finish in region: Third