Two high school athletes started off playing football together as Lions. Now a smaller cat but a bigger level of game, both play together as Wildcats.

Connor Waite and Caden Wakefield went from Linfield Christian High School to Linfield College, which has often led to confusion and amusement among their family and friends. “They ask if they’re related. It’s the number one question they ask,” Waite said.

Wearing their Linfield Christian High School gear, which they often do, is what really sparks up the questions among the students at Linfield College. “I wear it and when I pass people they’re like, ‘hey, where did you get that from?’” Wakefield laughed.

Waite and Wakefield began playing flag football at a young age, which led to them falling in love with the game. As the two are just a grade level apart, Waite and Wakefield played high school football together down in Temecula, California. Waite was the quarterback while Wakefield was a linebacker. “We had an all right team. We went all the way to the semis,” Wakefield said.

The two enjoyed Linfield Christian High School and described it as similar to Linfield College. “It was a family setting,” Waite said.

For Waite, the name of his high school and college did not play a factor in his college decision. “It was football for me. I didn’t hear about this school until someone told me about Linfield football,” Waite said.

On the other hand, Wakefield said the two schools having the same name did have a small influence on his college decision. But like Waite, football was the main reason he chose to attend Linfield College along with the atmosphere. “I went on a bunch of recruiting visits and this [Linfield College] had the coolest campus,” he said.

Waite is a majoring in psychology and is a quarterback for the Wildcats, while Wakefield is majoring in finance and recently switched positions to a defensive lineman.

The two athletes are now part of the successful Linfield football program, which is on its way to 61 straight winning seasons. “We’re really disciplined, and we prepare really well. I’d have to say that’s out biggest strength,” Waite said.