Brothers, kinda: Hornet sophomores share same name, no blood, but a deep bond

Sep. 9—You can't call them Jones.

Nor can you call them Williams, or Johnson.

Call them Pickering.

But don't call them brothers. Not even cousins.

Even though, they might as well be.

Hayden Pickering and Mason Pickering are both sophomores at Hilldale High School. There's no resemblance whatsoever, and no relational ties anywhere along their family trees.

But at times, they've played tricks on people who are baffled by two kids, in the same school, even same grade, with a rare surname.

"The most recent one was our English teacher," Hayden said. "I told her I was the adopted brother. She believed it."

"Most everyone in the class knew he wasn't," Mason said. "But (another teacher) came up and told her we weren't actually related."

But they've been virtually inseparable since they noticed each other's names in the same kindergarten class.

"We were playing and I asked him if he wanted to be friends since we have the last name, he said yes, and we've been friends ever since," Mason recalled of the occasion.

The two set sail on a journey of long stays at each other's homes and also a sporting life that has them both playing football for Hilldale this fall. It started with soccer.

"Both were three days apart," said Hayden's mom, Lindsey Anderson, who gave birth to Hayden in Tulsa. Mason was born in Muskogee. "We got to where we celebrated their birthdays together. Just recently we took them to get their driver's licenses together."

Hayden is a defensive back and wide receiver. Mason is a tight end and linebacker. Mason is 6-foot, 190 pounds, and there's no comparison there with Hayden, who is 5-6, 130.

Both played soccer for a while. Ty Pickering, the Hornets' running back coach and Mason's father — and in time investment, basically Hayden's father — remembers how that went.

"Hayden has always been a talented soccer kid," Ty said. "But being small, he was also a target by kids on the other team. Ty would have his back and if anyone went after Hayden, there was Mason. He got a few yellow cards, but hey, he was going to protect Hayden like he was his brother."

Mason would go on to excel in baseball while Hayden continued in soccer. He was Newcomer of the Year this past season in what was a district championship and Class 4A semifinal season for Hilldale. Mason plays catcher in baseball.

"Just our love for sports has given us things in common to keep the relationship going."

The summers are getting more difficult, especially with the soccer travel team Hayden is a part of and baseball travel team Mason is a part of.

"We can go a long time when we're doing different things but afterward we're back together, hanging out," Mason said. "It's either at his house or mine."

There's been no double-dates, yet.

In football, Mason's size makes him suited for the physical positions he plays. With Hayden, it's a situation where his elusiveness on the pitch comes in handy.

"You catch the football, you're not wanting to go down and that's to Hayden's advantage," Ty said. "He's shifty. Mason is just what his frame says, he's always been a physical kid."

Hilldale head coach David Blevins has basically accepted them as brothers who aren't brothers.

"They say blood thicker than water but with these guys it's kind of debatable because the only time I don't see them together is when Mason is playing baseball, but Hayden is in the stands, and when Hayden is playing soccer, Mason is in the stands," Blevins said. "And whatever they do, they both have that same competitive streak."

They'll both be in action tonight in the Hornets' home opener against Tulsa Hale.