Mike Gowens (1978)
Mike Gowens was born and raised in Purcell, attending Purcell Schools from kindergarten thru graduation.
In high school Mike played football for four years, basketball for two years, and ran track for four years.
Coach Bob Haley was a Coach, mentor, friend and was also Mike’s Assistant Golf Coach for a few years and served on the Golf Board for the Purcell Golf Course.
After graduating from Purcell High School, Mike accepted a scholarship to play college football for the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers in Alva, Oklahoma. When his final season of football was over, Mike decided to try out for the NWOSU Golf Team and made it.
Mike started working as a Greenskeeper for the Brent Bruehl Memorial Golf Course. That job led to Mike becoming the Assistant Golf Pro for the 9-hole course and in 1992, he was made the Head Pro. Mike went thru the process to become a PGA Golf Professional and is a member of the South Central Section of the PGA of America. After taking the Head Pro position, he was able to design and help build the additional holes when then Purcell Golf Course became an 18- hole course in 1995. He also worked with the builder to design the layout of the new pro shop.
In 2004, Purcell Schools needed a coach for their boys and girls golf teams. Mike had been giving lessons to several of the team members so he stepped in to help. The girls’ golf team were State Champions that year. The Purcell Lady Dragons went on to become the 2005 and 2006 State Champions and took State Runner-Up in 2007. Mike continued to coach both teams and in 2008 the Purcell Boys Golf Team was State Runner-Up.
In 2014, the Cinderella Lady Dragon Golf Team from Purcell beat out the returning champions when they surprised everyone and won the school’s 4th state championship. Those girls went on to “3-peat” and won the title again in 2015 and 2016 the team rallied to take State Runner-Up in 2017, but came back as State Champs in 2018, State Runners-Ups in 2019, bringing the Lady Dragon Golf Program to a count of seven State Championships and three State Runners-Ups.
In 2012, one of his girl golfers was awarded the Jim Thorpe Award for Top Girl Golfer in the State.
Wes Stone (1979)
Wes Stone aka Big Dog was a graduate of the class of 1979 He played football from 1976 to 1978 for the Purcell Dragons
Some of Wes’ accomplishments include:
• making the 1000 lb club as a junior in weightlifting
• two-way starter during his senior year
• Co-Captain of the Football team
• Little All-City honors
• All-District honors
• Member of the All-Star Team
• All-State Defensive Tackle
He was named District Defensive player of the year.
Wes was picked as an Offensive Lineman to the All-Century team for 1900-1999 and Defensive Lineman to the All-Decade team 1970-1979.
Wes received multiple scholarships in and out of state
After high school Wes decided not to continue football and married Rhonda Judkins.
They were married for 40 years before he passed away in 2020. He was the father of 5 children and granddaddy of 14 grandkids. At one point Wes decided to go to Montana and be a cowboy where he worked on some of the largest ranches in Montana and Idaho as well as some smaller one in Oklahoma and Texas. He graduated from the Ranch Management Program at TCU. In 1993 he moved back to Texas to raise his family.
Michael Thompson (1981)
Michael enjoyed his time as a Dragon and playing basketball for Coach Jack Park, who always believed in him, but Michael truly excelled after high school.
In 2017 Governor Mary Fallin appointed Major General Michael C. Thompson as The Adjutant General for the Oklahoma National Guard. Thompson served as the top military advisor to the Governor and commanded the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard from November 2017 to November 2021.
Thompson joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard in 1983. Thompson was later commissioned to second Lieutenant in 1986 through the Oklahoma Military Department Officer Candidate School. In previous assignments, Thompson has commanded at the company, battalion and brigade levels. Major General Thompson was deployed in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM in 2003 and 2008.
Thompson had a distinguished 28-year career with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety.
Thompson was inducted into the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2019 and received the Governor George Nigh Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. In 2022 Thompson served as the Deputy Director for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations. In 2023 Thompson was inducted into the Oklahoma State University Hall of Fame.
Thompson is a proud graduate of Oklahoma’s only historic black college, Langston University. He also holds a Masters degree from Oklahoma State University and the United States Army War College. Major General Thompson is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the United States Secret Service Executive Seminar, and the United States War College.
Major General Thompson and his wife of 39 years, Debbie, have two adult children who are combat veterans of the United States Army and the Oklahoma Army National Guard. They also have a daughter-in-law who is a combat veteran with the United States Army.
John McCurdy (1990)
John started at guard for all of the 76 games he played and averaged over 12 points a game as a Sophomore. He averaged 22 points as a junior and 28 as a senior.
John scored in double figures and hit a 3-pointer in 54 consecutive games. He scored a then-school record 45 points in a victory over Lexington, breaking the record of legendary Lester Lane.
John resides in Purcell, married to wife Annemarie and has a daughter Savannah. He is the assistant manager of the Brent Bruehl Memorial Golf Course, and also is a local Real Estate Agent.
McCurdy wants to credit his parents and siblings for instilling in him the drive to be great. He also credits every single one of his coaches, assistant coaches, and his wonderful teammates for this honor.
“I forever will have that Dragon spirit and Dragon Pride!”
Johnny Mooneyham (1990)
Johnny was a member of Purcell basketball and track throughout high school
He was the 1990 State Champion Long Jump and set a PHS long jump record in 1990.
Johnny is a University of Oklahoma letterman in Track and Field.
Julie Hodge Dollins (1994)
Julie Hodge Dollins is a 1994 graduate of PHS. She participated in many sports growing up in Purcell. She lettered in 3 sports while in high school. These include: basketball 3 years, softball 4 years, and track 4 years. Julie also strived to be better academically. She was a member of the National Honor Society, student council and was top 10 percent in her class. She was also named senior football candidate in 1994. She is a 1993 State Champion 2A 100m dash and 1993 State Champion 2A 200m dash.
She still holds the 100m PHS record with 12.14, thirty years later. Julie attended the University of Central Oklahoma on a track scholarship
She moved to McAlester and finished her bachelors degree in education at East Central University in 1999.
Her greatest accomplishments are her two children, Gage Dollins and Peyton Dollins.
Julie’s parents, Paul and Melanie Hodge and brother Justin encouraged her and made an impact on her life while growing up in Purcell.
She wants to give a special recognition to the late Peggy Butler, who recognized her talent early on in elementary school, and Randy Belicek who was her high school track coach.
Coach Savage and Coach Reimer also contributed to Julie’s success as well.
Julie Clements Stewart(1996)
Julie is a 1996 graduate of Purcell High School. Her success in sports came with throwing the shot put and discus, which started in the sixth grade. In high school, under Coach Randy Belicek, she continued to reach larger goals. She was able to achieve Conference Champion in both shot put and discus all four years. She was Regional Champ three years in both events and State qualifier all four years of high school. As a freshman, Julie won State titles in both events as well as setting the high school records in both. She continued through high school competing and won a second State title in the shotput and one in the discus.
Julie also had the honor to compete in the Southwest Conference Track Meet in Tempe, Arizona where she met athletes from surrounding states.
At the end of her senior year, Julie set and broke records in both shot put and discus. As she understands, those records still stand.
During her high school career the PHS girls track team was awarded Academic All-State all four years.
Julie credits Coach Randy Belicek and her father, who served as her shot\disc coach, for encouraging and pushing her to be the best and to never give up.
Competing in sports led Julie to pursue a career in physical therapy.
She currently lives in Ardmore with her husband and four children who all are competitive in sports and life!
Devon Magness (1996)
Devon Magness attended Purcell High School from 1994-1996.
He participated in the PHS Band and Marching Band.
Some of his accolades include:
• PHS Unified Softball at Special Olympics, and played basketball for the Lady Dragons.
• At 6’7’’ Devon was by far the tallest player in Lady Dragon History.
• Coached by Mark Savage
• In her Junior year at OSU she was the President of the OSU Student Athlete Advisory Board.
• In Devon’s 5 years at Oklahoma State, she served and volunteered many hours which inturn she won many awards for her hours volunteered.
• Devon graduated from OSU with a bachelors in Elementary Education in 2001.
• Devon is a single mom via adoption to two beautiful children
Kristin Wollenberg (1999)
1999 Purcell Graduate who was a force to recon with on the basketball court and softball field as a Lady Dragon.
Since 2007 she’s been using her skills as a Logistics Officer for the U.S. Army, where she ensures service members have enough food, ammunition and supplies. She oversees the entire supply chain, from ordering and warehousing to delivery of materials to military bases and outposts.
In addition, she processes requests, inventory control, coordinates transportation and maintains databases.
COACHES
Mike Robinson
Mike Robinson is a 1969 Graduate of Star Spencer HS and a 1974 Graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Mike was a member of four State Championship teams in high school where he was Capital Conference All-Conference in Baseball, Football and Wrestling. He was the Capital Conference Player of the Year in Baseball in 1969 and named as an All-State Shortstop in 1969.
Mike played baseball in college at Connors Junior College and Southeastern OSU. He was named a JuCo All-American Honorable Mention in 1971.
Mike coached at Tecumseh from 1974-1985, Purcell from 1986-2005 and still serves as the director of Athletic Fields at Purcell. Twenty-four of Mike’s former athletes received college athletic scholarships and 21 went on to coach and teach school.
Mike also coached 12 All-Staters (10 in softball and 2 in baseball).
Mike was a Baseball Head Coach for 20 years at Tecumseh and Purcell, Football Head Coach for two years (Tecumseh) and seven years head coach of the Purcell Softball Teams.
He has a 402-217 record in baseball, 168-88 record in Fast Pitch, 149-51 record in Slow Pitch.
He was a 1980 State Runner-Up in baseball at Tecumseh, a 1988 State quarter finalist in baseball at Purcell.
His teams won nine Baseball District Championships and three Regional Championships.
In Fast Pitch he won six District Championships and two Regional Championships.
In Slow Pitch he won five District Championships and three Regional Championships.
He coached the 2004 Fast Pitch Softball State Champions (Purcell), the 2003 Fast Pitch Softball Semifinalist team, the 2003 Slow Pitch Softball State Runners-Up, the 2005 Slow Pitch Softball State Runners-Up, the 2004 Slow Pitch Softball State Semifinalists.
He was named the Canadian Conference Coach of the Year in 2003 and the OHSFSCA Coach of the Year in 2004.
He was also named the 2004 Fast Pitch All-State Coach, 2004 Little All-City Coach of the Year, 2003 Sooner Conference Coach of the Year, 1993 Region 5 Coach of the Year, and the 1993 Region 5 All-State Coach.
Mike is a member of the 400+ Baseball Victory Club and he is now the field Maintenance General for the Purcell Lady Dragons Softball.
Mark Savage
Mark Savage graduated from Stratford High School in 1979 and completed his Bachelor of Science in Education from East Central University in 1983. He obtained a Master of Education degree from East Central in 1990. Mark has taught and coached at Stratford from 1983-1988, Purcell from 1988-2007, Wynnewood in 2008-2009, Lexington from 2009-2014 and from 2014 to current date has been at his home town of Stratford.
Mark and his wife Julie have two children, Jacob and Marisa.
Career High School Basketball Record: 575-367 (35 years)
Career Girls High School Basketball: 492-303 (32 years)
Mike has spent 40 years teaching and 39 years coaching.
He was named Conference Coach of the Year in 1985, 1987, 1988, 1995, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2019, 2020 and 2023.
He was named the Oklahoma Girls Basketball West Coach of the Year in 2007 and the OGBCA All-State Coach in 1995 and 2007.
Other honors include:
• 2007 Girls Basketball OCA Region Coach of the Year
• 1988 Girls Basketball Ada Area Coach of the Year
• 1993 Fastpitch Region Coach of the Year
• 1993 Fastpitch All-State Coach
• 1988, 1995 and 2007 Girls Basketball State Tournament Appearances
• Girls Basketball State Semi-Finals 1988 (Finished with a 27-1 record)
• Girls Basketball State Quarter-Finals in 1995 and 2007 (24-4 record)
• Regional Championships in 1984, 1988, 1989, 1998
• Regional Runner-up, Consolation Championships 1995, 1996, 2006, 2007, 2020, 2021, 2022
• District Champions 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Conference Champions 1985, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2007, 2010, 2019, 2020, 2023
• Conference Runner-Up 1997, 2005, 2006, 2021, 2022
Mike has been a longtime supporter of the Purcell Dragons.
Dale Bebout
In 1967, after a 14-month tour in Vietnam and an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps, Dale Bebout and his late wife Marilyn made their way back to their hometown of Purcell where they soon became very active in supporting Purcell Dragon athletes.
Over the past 40 years, Dale has been a loyal Dragon fan and played a crucial role in the early development of our football program.
In 1979, Mr. Bebout donated materials and provided labor to build the PHS football field house that housed our football team, weights, equipment, and coaches for years, and then became our visitor locker rooms until the renovations in 2019.
Dale also built the PHS football parking lot and provided equipment to start powerlifting at PHS along with serving as the president of the All-Sports Booster Club.
Dale and the late Marilyn Bebout raised four Dragon graduates sons: Travis, class of 83; Bobby Allison, Class of 85; their late son Tim, class of 86, and daughter Angie, Class of 91. Angie is a longtime teacher at Purcell.
They also have eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Posthumous Inductees
Earl “Tex” Bartlett (1927) Earl “Tex” Bartlett is a 1927 PHS alum. He not only was a great football player, he was also a successful high school coach including a few years at Purcell.
Bartlett is one of two Dragons to play in the National Football League. His playing career after high school included four years at Centre College in Kentucky where he was a three year letterman from 1932 thru 1936.
After college he played professional football from 1936 to 1939 for the AFL’s Boston Shamrocks and Louisville Tanks. Bartlett also played a year for the AAFC’s Brooklyn Eagles.
His NFL career was a short one as he played one game for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
After his playing days were over Bartlett came back to Purcell where he coached football from 1940-1941.
After serving in the military starting in 1942 he began a long coaching career which took him to Wynnewood, Watonga, Hobart, Antlers, Beggs and Commerce.
His 1949 Wynnewood team won the class B State championship.
Bartlett passed away in 1987.
He is represented by family member Kurt Gray
Henderson “Bubba” Cheadle
From 1954-2002 Purcell had their very own “superfan”.
If you say “Bubba” everyone knows who you are talking about. He spent many hours watching the Purcell High School Girls Basketball team practice in the Boney Matthews gym. But he really earned recognition from longtime Football Coach Rick Clark.
Coach Clark let Bubba travel with the team to out-of-town football games, and Bubba would be the lead person to run the Dragons onto the field!
Bubba is represented by the entire Purcell community