Caden Calloway is 20 months older, but he’s three inches shorter and 15 pounds lighter than his “little” brother Connor.

“He’s always been really big,” Caden said of Connor.

Most people think Connor is the older brother, and, at times, they’ll go along with it. Sometimes, people mix them up.

But Connor looks up to Caden, a 5-9, 165-pound junior running back, who has rushed for 471 yards and seven touchdowns and led the Gilbert Campo Verde Coyotes to a 3-0 start to the high school football season.

Connor, a 6-foot, 180 pound sophomore, was brought up to varsity from junior varsity last week. On Friday, at Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge, he will get his first varsity reps, giving his brother a spill at running back, while also playing inside linebacker.

After a 41-26 win over Tucson Sunnyside, a 64-6 rout of rival Gilbert Mesquite and last week’s 56-0 blowout of Glendale Raymond S Kellis, Campo Verde is expected to get its first major test to see if this great start hasn’t been a mirage.

“Caden is definitely our workhorse,” coach Max Ragsdale. “We can throw it a little bit this year, too. Hopefully, that balances itself out.”

Last year, Campo Verde started 5-0, before losing five of its last six games, ending in a first-round 5A playoff loss to Peoria Sunrise Mountain 38-24.

This is Caden’s season being the marquee guy. Connor has a chance to be a big contributor.

Both are wrestlers at Campo Verde. Ragsdale also coaches wrestling.

“They bring that wrestling mentality to football and football mentality to wrestling,” Ragsdale said. “They’re great kids. They’re great in the classroom.”

They’d better be because their mom is a teacher at Campo Verde.

They’ve grown up pushing each other in athletics and academics.

An injury to a starting linebacker and running back opened up Connor’s varsity opportunity. But he knows he had to work for it.

“I’ve always looked up to him, try to do what he did,” Connor said. “I try to do better. I’ve always played up with him, played together. It’s exciting to both be part of this team.”

They don’t usually wrestle against each other in practice, because Connor is in a higher weight class.

But they check up on each other, making sure they are achieving their best.

Last year, Caden Calloway was on JV, admiring the job varsity running back Matt Leazier did, running the ball as the workhorse back. Leazier opened last season with five consecutive 100-yard rushing games. He also was a wrestler.

Caden has opened with three consecutive 100-yard games.

“I think our line is playing exceptionally,” Caden said. “We’re in the weight room year-round. We work hard.”

Caden doesn’t worry about maintaining any 100-yard rushing streaks.

“I didn’t even know I had 100 this last game,” he said. “It’s just winning. If we can hold up one big one (championship trophy) that would be nice.”

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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Episode 2 — Beyond the Gridiron: The Mountain