Fly by Knights: King's Way Christian soccer teammates Spencer Mayhugh, Cooper Sprague both training to be pilots

May 2-It's not every day a high school team has a student pilot on its roster.

It's even rarer to have two.

That's the case for King's Way Christian's boys soccer team. Teammates, co-captains and now future college classmates, Spencer Mayhugh and Cooper Sprague have built a unique bond that stretches past the soccer pitch and into the sky.

For both, their worlds revolve around two passionate hobbies: playing soccer and flying planes.

"That's literally my life," said Mayhugh, 18. "I go to school, go to soccer, and then I fly - that's all I do."

Said Sprague, also 18: "I just fell in love with it ever since my first flight and it's been super fun. I can't get enough of it."

How it all took off

For Mayhugh, aviation started right outside his front door. Growing up near Camas' Grove Field, planes were part of everyday life.

Everything changed when neighbor Neil Cahoon, a retired commercial pilot and certified flight instructor, took him up for a flight.

One flight was all it took.

Mayhugh's curiosity turned into full-fledged commitment behind more than 100 flying hours to date. He's now preparing for his final step toward a private pilot license: the checkride, the final exam a student pilot takes to earn a pilot license through an oral exam and flight test.

Sprague began flying at 16 with some influence from Mayhugh and now has around 70 hours, putting him on track for his own checkride.

While they share the same destination of becoming future commercial aviation pilots, Mayhugh and Sprague's journeys have included different aircraft.

Mayhugh began flying a vintage Piper Cub from the 1940s before transitioning into more advanced aircraft to prepare for college-level aviation. Sprague trains primarily in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, one of the most widely used training planes in the world.

Both understand the same reality of how piloting aircraft demands discipline, precision and preparation, they said.

"You have to take everything seriously - both in the air and on the field," Mayhugh explained. "You don't want anything wrong to happen, especially if it's something you could have easily fixed."

Cahoon, Mayhugh's instructor, flew 13 years in the Air Force and another 27 with Northwest and Delta Air Lines. He now serves as chief pilot and a certified flight instructor at FlyIt Academy, based at Grove Field.

Like Mayhugh and Sprague, Cahoon started flying in high school and calls the teenage years "the best time" to begin lessons because young pilots are more adaptable and open to learning. He said younger students build strong habits early, while many adult "bucket list" learners underestimate the discipline required.

Responsibility and consistency are what separate successful pilots from those who fall short - and that's exactly what makes Mayhugh stand out, Cahoon said.

"He comes from good family stock," Cahoon said. "His folks have taught him responsibility and preparation."

At a recent weekend training session at Grove Field, Sprague flew with Stone Clancy, one of FlyIt Academy's chief flight instructors. During the nearly 90-minute lesson, he practiced touch-and-go landings at Troutdale Airport while fine-tuning key skills in preparation for his checkride this summer.

Both Mayhugh and Sprague are on pace to earn their private pilot's licenses this summer before beginning classes together at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, one of the nation's top aviation schools. Mayhugh plans to play men's soccer for the NAIA Eagles and both share the same long-term goal of becoming commercial airline pilots.

Captains in the cockpit and pitch

Naturally, that mindset in the cockpit shows up in soccer.

Mayhugh and Sprague are senior co-captains who anchor the back line at King's Way Christian. With nearly identical schedules over the past two years - including studying aviation science and technology at Cascadia Technical Academy - their chemistry and connection translate directly onto the pitch.

They bring a pilot's mindset into every match.

"We're together all the time," Sprague said. "If we get mad at each other, we know we'll be fine the next day."

Ask them what it's like to fly, and their answers shift from technical to personal.

"It's just really fun," Sprague said.

But it's more than that.

After experiencing solo flights, both say flying alone brings a sense of control and freedom that's hard to replicate. Thousands of feet above the ground, with nothing but open sky ahead, the experience becomes something deeper.

"Being up in the air all by yourself is pretty cool, knowing you can control everything that happens," Mayhugh said. "And the view is amazing."

For now, soccer remains a central part of their lives. The Knights are coming off their first state trophy - a third-place finish in 2025 - and, already boasting a double-digit win total this season, are well-positioned to make another postseason run in the competitive 1A Trico League.

Without question, Mayhugh and Sprague know how to handle pressure, whether that's a tight game or a high-stakes landing. On the soccer field, they lead. In the air, they navigate.

As friends and teammates, they're chasing the same dream. And soon, both will be cleared for takeoff.

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