BUTLER TWP — Baseball has always been Mac Schnur’s game.

“I’ve played baseball since I was a little kid,” the Butler senior said. “My dad (Curt Schnur) played pro ball in the Atlanta Braves organization. He’s always been my hero and I’m a pitcher like he was. That sport has always been No. 1 with me.

“But football has moved right alongside it.”

With good reason.

The 6-foot-0, 168-pound Schnur threw for 2,055 yards and 23 touchdowns this season in leading Butler to a second consecutive District 10 Class 6A championship game appearance. He shattered the Golden Tornado’s previous single-season passing yardage record set by Justin Papania nearly 20 years ago. Papania threw for just under 1,700 yards.

“It’s cool to have that record,” Schnur admitted. “I know I only have it until somebody comes along and breaks it someday, but it’s a neat thing to have right now.”

Schnur threw for 1,574 yards and 12 scores his junior season, sharing time behind center with then-senior Cooper Baxter.

Baxter — now playing baseball for Indiana (Pa.) University — began his senior season at Butler as a third-year starter at quarterback.

“Coop and Mac are two different types of quarterbacks,” Butler coach Eric Christy said. “Coop is more of a runner and Mac has the big arm. Mac showed us what he could do and eventually took over at quarterback, with Coop moving to running back.”

Schnur did not start playing football until eighth grade.

“Lance Slater is my best friend and we both grew up playing baseball,” Schnur said. “We decided to try football together, so we went out for the junior high team. I tried for quarterback and got the job.

“I didn’t know much about the plays or reading a defense. I played backyard football, mostly. I chucked the ball deep to Lance a lot. We had fun and it worked out well for our team.”

Once he got to high school, Schnur spent his sophomore season playing quarterback for the junior varsity, “still learning the game,” he said.

He knew Baxter was the veteran varsity starter leading into (Schnur’s) junior year.

“It was time for me to go to work,” Schnur said. “Cooper was clearly going to play, but I wanted to play some, too. I worked with the receivers on patterns during the off-season, hit the weight room harder. I figured I had to get on the field my junior year.”

Christy wasn’t surprised the way things turned out.

“We knew Mac had the physical ability. He just had to throw into the position,” the coach said. “We were a better team with him and Cooper on the field. The improvement Mac’s made from last season to this season is a testament to how hard he’s worked.”

The majority of Butler’s passing yardage last season landed in the arms of Ethan Trettel or Slater. Trettel had 25 catches for 512 yards and is now looking to walk on at Slippery Rock University. Slater had 25 catches for 507 yards. Both receivers averaged more than 20 yards per catch.

While Trettel graduated last spring, Slater was due to come back for his senior season this fall and join Braylon Littlejohn as Schnur’s main targets in the passing game.

A broken ankle suffered during a summer workout ended that idea.

“I think about what our offense would be like with him every day,” Schnur said. “I write Lance’s name on my wrist band before every game in tribute to him. We’ve missed him.”

With Slater out, Schnur has spread the ball around. Seven players on Butler’s roster have eight or more catches. Schnur’s completed touchdown passes to six different players this season.

“He’s been making great decisions,” Christy said of his quarterback. “Mac can roll out, escape pressure, still read the field while doing so. He’s learned when to throw it away, pull it down and take off, or throw to a receiver.

“His ability to process that information has probably been the area he’s most improved upon.”

Schnur did throw 19 interceptions this year, including five against Westinghouse at Cupples Stadium.

“The interceptions are part of it,” Christy said. “Mac’s had to throw under pressure a lot. Some balls have gotten tipped, gone off receivers’ hands ... The picks haven’t been all of his fault.”

Schnur’s productivity supercede the interceptions — and has drawn the attention of college recruiters. Edinboro, Clarion and Mercyhurst are among PSAC schools interested in him.

“I haven’t paid much attention to the recruiting stuff yet. I’ll get into that after the season,” Schnur said. “Baseball, football, I love both sports now. It’d be hard to give either one up.

“At this point, I feel fortunate to have the options I do.”