When does a quarterback who throws for 31 touchdowns and only two interceptions in the big-school classification quit playing football?

When it’s not his best sport.

In the case of Rocky Mountain athlete Bryan Peters, it’s baseball. So, as successful as Peters was on the gridiron (he’s also a key contributor on the Lobos’ basketball team), his future is on the diamond.

“It’s really hard to leave football behind, because I love it so much,” said Peters, who will play at Nebraska next season. “But as the baseball season approaches, I start to think less and less about it. I like baseball and football pretty much the same, but there just seems to be more opportunities for me in baseball, and it’ll probably be a little easier on my body in college.”

One major difference is that Peters didn’t become a football sensation until this season, his first as a starting quarterback. He had been contributing mightily for the baseball team since his sophomore year. By the time colleges started taking notice of his football prowess, he already had committed to Nebraska for baseball.

“Everybody likes to talk about the numbers he put up in football, and the numbers were awesome,” Rocky Mountain coach Scott Bullock said. “However, go back and look at the numbers he put up as a sophomore and junior in baseball. He is a career .430 hitter, he can hit with power, he can steal bases and he has yet to lose a high school game on the mound.”

And Bullock didn’t even mention that Peters was part of state championship teams the past two seasons — they were the first two in school annals in the sport — and is the centerpiece of a team with legitimate aspirations to threepeat.

“It’s just huge to get your name out there in Rocky Mountain history,” said Peters, who hit .436 with six home runs, 27 RBI and went 5-0 pitching last season. “The past couple years, we’ve had fabulous teams and a great group of guys. Hopefully, we’ll be able to threepeat and have a dynasty here.”

Overshadowed a bit by two-time All-Colorado player of the year Andy Burns the past two seasons, it’s Peters’ turn to shine. Of course, he won’t mind sharing the spotlight with junior pitcher Marco Gonzales, senior center fielder Jake Stewart and others.

Gonzales won the state championship clincher as a freshman, and the left-hander verbally has committed to Gonzaga. Stewart, like Peters, was a standout football player, a speed-burning receiver who helped Peters compile the lofty numbers. Also like Peters, Stewart opted for baseball and will play collegiately, at Stanford.

“He’s been a baseball guy his entire life, so he didn’t really think about playing football in college,” Peters said.

Pitcher/shortstop Pierce Trumper, who recently committed to Arkansas, also returns to the Lobos’ stacked lineup. But the key figure is Peters, the senior who had to choose between the two sports he loves, the two sports he has excelled at enough to be considered among the top few in the state in each.

“The bottom line, he is a winner,” Bullock said. “It doesn't matter if it is football, baseball or academics. So, I feel to answer the question of what is Bryan’s No. 1 sport — his No. 1 sport is whatever sport he is playing.”

NOTEBOOK

The talent pool is deeper than usual in the classification this season, judging by the number of players who have committed to major Division I colleges.

Nebraska, for instance often uses Colorado as a hotbed, with coach Mike Anderson being from Eaton. This year is no different, as Luke Bublitz of Legacy, Geoff Baldwin of Grand Junction, Chaparral’s Pat Hirschberg and Rocky Mountain’s Bryan Peters all have been inked by the Cornhuskers.

Peters is one of four Rocky Mountain players en route to a Division I program, joining Jake Stewart (Stanford), Pierce Trumper (Arkansas) and junior Marco Gonzales (Gonzaga in 2010-11). Cherry Creek has five D-I players, including Alex Blackford (Arizona State), Duncan Satherlie (Nevada-Las Vegas), T.J. Shantz (Florida International) and Alec Mielnicki (Texas Tech).

Other 5A high-profile signings include: Chatfield pitcher Taylor Rogers (Kentucky); Mountain Vista pitcher Eric Anderson (Missouri); Fairview first baseman/pitcher Ben Burmeister (San Diego); Arapahoe catcher Justin Byrd (California); Regis Jesuit catcher Chris O’Dowd (Dartmouth); Fort Collins pitcher Ryan Beck (New Mexico State); Fountain-Fort Carson pitcher Chris Howard (Creighton); and Cherokee Trail’s Micah Green (Wichita State).

The Centennial League just got a bit more challenging. A sizable bit.

Arapahoe moved from the Continental League, and perennial Class 4A contender Cherokee Trail moved up, so regular challengers Cherry Creek, Grandview, Mullen and company will find the path to a league title rockier than usual.

Each of the new teams possesses a lethal power threat in the outfield, Arapahoe with junior Brian Guymon (.530 average, seven home runs and 30 RBI last season ) and Cherokee Trail with Green (.617-6-30).

Arapahoe coach Luke Muller claims this group is the finest in his four seasons with the team, which is lofty praise, considering the Warriors were among the final eight last season. Cherokee Trail won the 4A crown in 2007 and was a Top 10 team throughout last season.

Arapahoe and Cherokee Trail replace Fairview and Boulder, which fled to the more geographically-sensible Front Range League.

It isn’t only the Centennial League that will have some new faces this season. In the Colorado Springs Metro League, Fountain-Fort Carson and Liberty made the jump from 4A, replacing Lewis-Palmer and Mitchell, which moved down. Each brings a capable squad to the big-school classification, as Fountain-Fort Carson went 17-4 last season and Liberty 12-8.

In the Denver Prep League, Lincoln and Denver South moved up, and Denver West and Kennedy moved down. Meanwhile, Mountain Range, a 4A Skyline League team last season, now will compete in the Front Range League. The Mustangs went 17-3 last season. Also, the new Westminster (a combination of the old Westminster and Ranum) has joined the 5A portion of the Skyline League.

And let’s not forgot a major addition in the Jefferson County League, as 4A champion Ralston Valley joins the 5A contingent this season.

It had been eons since a Colorado Springs school had advanced to the deep rounds of the state tournament until Air Academy did it the past two seasons. The Kadets were a final-eight team in 2006-07 and state runner-up to Rocky Mountain last season.

What this means is that the perception has changed, at least some. Fair or not, teams from the power leagues never included CSML schools in discussions of the elite teams, no matter how lofty the record. What Air Academy did is legitimize the league and make teams notice.

Though the Kadets were ravaged by graduation and will have to retool with mostly new players this season, Rampart has emerged as the favorite. And because of Air Academy’s success, teams will be forced to at least take a glance at the Rams.

Senior outfielders Miguel Ortega and Austin Kaiser are among the key contributors back from a 14-4-1 squad.

Shane Opitz is following in his brother’s footsteps.

In the early part of the decade, Jake Opitz was a standout shortstop at Heritage. Now, Shane has the same role.

Repeating his older brother’s next step might be more difficult. Jake Opitz recently wrapped up a career at Nebraska in which he was a four-year starting second baseman and ended up on the Huskers’ top 10 list in career games played. He clubbed 11 homers as a senior.

For now, Jake will be Jake, which is pretty good. Last season, as a sophomore, the younger Opitz batted .482 as the Eagles went 15-7.

There is a reason Monarch fashions itself a contender. His name is Shay Maltese. As a junior last season, Maltese drilled 10 homers and drove in 42. Now, he has added an upper-80-mph fastball to his mix when he’s not playing shortstop. The Coyotes will aim to be a factor in the stout Front Range League.

FIRST PITCH

CLASS 5A TOP 10

1. Rocky Mountain:

The two-time defending champ returns four Division I players.

2. Cherry Creek:

Five Division I players for the Bruins — so far.

3. Chatfield:

After a breakout final-four season, the Chargers return formidable left-hander Taylor Rogers.

4. Arapahoe:

There’s a stacked lineup, along with six pitchers vying for the No. 1 job.

5. Heritage:

After a 15-7 campaign, the Eagles are eyeing the Continental League crown.

6. Fort Collins:

Tall left-hander Ryan Beck should have the Lambkins in the Front Range League mix.

7. Mountain Vista:

Senior Eric Anderson will pitch this season after only playing the field last year.

8. Chaparral:

Outfielder Pat Hirschberg is one of the state’s finest power prospects.

9. Green Mountain:

Many are predicting the Rams to be the breakout team this season.

10. Dakota Ridge:

The Eagles return pitching depth and standout shortstop Andrew Melton.

Consensus league picks:

Cherry Creek (Centennial), Rampart (Colorado Springs Metro), Heritage (Continental), Denver East (Denver Prep), Rocky Mountain (Front Range), Chatfield (Jeffco), Brighton (Skyline), Grand Junction (Southwestern).

TOP PLAYERS BY POSITION

Player, School, Year

PITCHERS

Eric Anderson, Mountain Vista, Sr.

Ryan Beck, Fort Collins, Sr.

Alex Blackford, Cherry Creek, Sr.

Marco Gonzales, Rocky Mountain, Jr.

Bryan Peters, Rocky Mountain, Sr.

Taylor Rogers, Chatfield, Sr.

CATCHERS

Justin Byrd, Arapahoe, Sr.

Chris O’Dowd, Regis Jesuit, Sr.

Daniel Talley, Liberty, Sr.

INFIELDERS

SS Alex Allbritton, Grandview, Sr.

1B Geoff Baldwin, Grand Junction, Sr.

3B Luke Bublitz, Legacy, Sr.

3B Max Bridge, Denver East, Sr.

1B Ben Burmeister, Fairview, Sr.

SS Jarren Donato, Mountain Range, Jr.

SS Connor Eppard, Lakewood, Sr.

SS Shay Maltese Monarch Sr.

SS Andrew Melton, Dakota Ridge, Sr.

1B Alec Mielnicki, Cherry Creek, Sr.

SS Shane Opitz, Heritage, Jr.

SS T.J. Shantz, Cherry Creek, Sr.

OUTFIELDERS

Micah Green, Cherokee Trail, Sr.

Brian Guymon, Arapahoe, Jr.

Pat Hirschberg, Chaparral, Sr.

Chris Howard, Fountain-Fort Carson, Sr.

Mark Shannon, Chatfield, Sr.

Jake Stewart, Rocky Mountain, Sr

Steven Poe, Green Mountain, Sr.

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