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High school graduation typically brings about the parting of life-long friends, as graduates go their separate ways in pursuit of higher education and various careers.

Not so for Lincoln County High School seniors Brent Cain and Brandon Huffman. The LCHS soccer Patriots and good friends assured themselves of at least four more years together after graduation by signing to play soccer at St. Catharine College in Springfield.

The two made their decisions official in a dual NAIA signing at Lincoln County High as family, friends, teammates and coaches looked on.

Paul Patton, who has been head coach of the St. Catherine men’s and women’s college teams for the past four years, oversaw the signing.

“We are pleased to afford these two young men the opportunity to play at the collegiate level,” said Patton. “They will do well. They both have a desire to play and a passion for the game, and are both good athletes.”

While a desire to continue playing competitive soccer after graduation was there, both Cain and Huffman said that getting a good education was foremost in their minds when making their college choices.

“I was kind of looking to play but I wasn’t going to be devastated if I couldn’t,” said Huffman. “I was going to get an education. If I got to play, that was great.”

Cain agreed.

“It was a bonus,” he said of the soccer. “If it came along, great. If it didn’t, that’s okay too. But I’m really happy that it did. It’s good to be able to get both, education and soccer combined.”

Cain, who plans to major in nursing or another Health Science program, played defender and midfielder for Lincoln County, earning the “Top Defender” and “Best Defense” awards. He was also a midfielder for the Madison County Flyers indoor soccer team.

Huffman, who plans to major in nursing or radiology at St. Catharine, played defense for the soccer Pats and was also a “Top Defender” award winner as well as the recipient of the “110% Award.” In the spring, he played defense for the Madison County Flyers.

Huffman said he has Cain to thank for setting the wheels in motion to get the friends together at St. Catharine.

“He talked about it a lot and was actually the one that started it,” said Huffman. “He went there and was talking to the coach. Then he was telling me about an open house and tryouts, and I just went with him.”

“When I first arrived and we started going on the tour of the campus, I liked it instantly and I just kept thinking about it,” he said.

Cain didn’t mind having a tagalong on his visit.

“They had an open house and tryouts and Brandon came along. We both got a tour of the campus and then we got to meet the team and they let us both do tryouts,” said Cain. “The tryouts were a little intimidating but we just kept pursuing and it went okay.”

After tryouts with around 30 other visiting athletes, Patton and St. Catharine extended an invitation to the two Lincoln athletes.

“They’ve both got pretty good athletic ability and they’ve got a decent amount of soccer foot skills,” said Patton. “Some of their technical skills need to be improved and a little bit of their movement off the ball. But those kind of things will improve by playing at a higher level. They’ll see it everyday and it will come.”

Patton says reserve games in the upcoming season will better prepare the two for collegiate soccer.

“They’re probably not going to be impact players for us as freshmen, but two or three years down the road, as they develop and begin to play more, I think they’re definitely going to help our squad and help us improve,” he said.

St. Catharine, which finished 8-10 last season, competes in the Mid-South Conference. The Mid-South Conference boasts the likes of Campbellsville University, Georgetown College, The University of the Cumberlands and Lindsey Wilson College, the reigning national champion. St. Catharine, which also has the nickname Patriots, was 1-6 in the conference this past season.

While they know a strenuous conditioning program is headed their way, Cain and Huffman say they look forward to a new level of competition.

“I’m excited,” said Cain. “I know I’ll have to work hard and prove myself to the coach and the team, but I’m willing to do that to try and be one of the top players.”

“It’s probably going to be tough the first few weeks or so because it’s always different when you take a step up.” Huffman added. “It’s like being a freshman all over again. You don’t know how they’ll take you and how they’ll feel about your abilities. But I’m ready to go. I’m ready to meet all the new people and learn all these new experiences.”

Cain is the son of Pam and Greg Kirkpatrick of Stanford and Steve Cain of Ohio. Huffman is the son of Lora Huffman of Stanford.

Note: Cain and Huffman will not be playing for Patton when they get to St. Catharine in the fall. Patton will continue as the women’s soccer coach but Tim Wolz is taking over the helm of the men’s team.

Wolz comes to St. Catharine with 23 years of coaching experience, 12 at the collegiate level. He currently serves as an assistant coach with the Louisville Lightning men’s professional indoor soccer team.

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