Drew Stankiewicz and Nathaniel Causey have spent a good deal of quality time together.

Most of that quality time occurred on the gridirion and diamond the last three years. Over that span, Gilbert High athletics has benefitted greatly from their contributions.

That time, however,  is nearing an end next month when the baseball season ends and graduation follows, but the duo have enjoyed sharing a dual-sport prep career.

Stankiewicz and Causey both committed early to colleges and to playing baseball. Causey made a commitment to ASU after his sophomore year; Stankiewicz to Cal State Fullerton  last July. Neither had any intention of  quitting football to concentrate on baseball for their senior year.

Gilbert baseball coach Matt Gutierrez was not one of the football naysayers for Causey and Stankiewicz.

"I encourgaged them to do it (play football)," Gutierrez said. "They play a lot of baseball, and it allowed them to get away from it. They're such good athletes. They are two of the best in the school."

Despite all the negative feedback from friends and classmates, Stankiewicz had no intention of being swayed.

"Everyone told me not to play football," Stankiewicz said. "I love it so much. No way was I not going to play my last year. I had the best moment of my career when we beat the No. 2 team (Basha) in the first round. That's something I'll never forget."

Stankiewicz, who has played on Gilbert's varsity baseball team for better than three seasons as a middle infielder (shortstop mostly), never viewed football as detrimental to baseball. He was a solid No. 2 receiver his junior year and the Tigers' top receiver this past season. Stankiewicz also played basketball for three seasons, hisn junior year on varsity.

"My dad was an all CIF football player in California," Stankiewicz said of father, Andy, a former major league infielder. "He likes football, too. I enjoyed it way too much to give it up."

Causey, good friends and practically next-door neighbors to Stankiewicz for the last seven years, also had little pause when it came to playing football his senior season with baseball tied up in his future.

"A lot of people told me I shouldn't play either," Causey said. "If your worried about getting hurt, you shouldn't play. I liked football too much not to play."

Causey played quarterback all three years, as a starter and backup. He also played defense and tight end. Quarterback was his first choice.

"As a quarterback you have more control of the game, and can make more of an impact," Causey said. "I liked that. I like to throw."

Gilbert  football coach Dan Dunn would have felt the loss had the pair decided to opt out of their senior year.

"I loved having them play adn appreciated it," Dunn said. "Nathaniel was an early signee. It took a lot of courage for him to come out and play ball with us. Anyone playing football and playing quarterback, there's a lot of risk to injury. There always was the thought that something could happen and ruin his chance at baseball."

Causey and Stankiewicz are literally home-run threats in both sports. As the Tigers quarterback-wideout combination in 2010, they combined for six touchdowns on what was a run-first team.

In the upset of Basha in the first round, which was led by the running game, Stankiewicz caught seven passes for 118 yards. Causey ws 10-of-18 for 143 yards and a TD. The next week in their quarterfinal loss to Desert Ridge, they had Gilbert  thinking upset for a little more than a quarter after they hooked up for TD and held an 8-6 lead.

"Stanky was solid as a rock," Dunn  said. He was the leading receiver in our conference, played in the secondary and led the team in interceptions. He's way above average in the skills he brings. Great hands, speed and quickness."

On the diamond, Causey and Stankiewicz have career batting averges of around .420. This year they share the team-lead in homers with four each. Causey is hitting .471 and Stankiewicz .424 as the Tigers try to navigate another state tournament berth.

"You watch them play baseball and know they're good going on in that," Dunn said. "Knowing they wanted to play other sports, and did well you feel even better."