Oklahoma City-area high school football stadium rankings: No. 7, Purcell
Purcell's Conger Field. PHOTO BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
PURCELL — Here is the fourth installment in our weekly series on the top 10 high school football stadiums in the Oklahoma City area.
The rankings were produced by myself and Ryan Aber. We based our choices on facilities, uniqueness and home-field advantage.
We will unveil a new stadium every Tuesday, wrapping up with our pick as the top area high school football stadium on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
No. 7 on the list is Purcell’s Conger Field, which hosted its first official game — between Purcell and Lexington — on Sept. 16, 1938.
Purcell's Conger Field. PHOTO BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Why it’s on the list: Conger Field is one of the more unique places to watch a high school football game. There are only stands on the West side of the stadium, meaning home and visiting fans sit side-by-side.
“It’s unique because it’s a constant roar coming towards the field (from the West side),” said Purcell athletic director Randy Belicek, who added that, to his knowledge, there has never been an incident between opposing fans.
“I’ve been here 35 years, and I’ve never seen an incident,” Belicek said.
Also, the stadium is overlooked by Red Hill. People can sit up on the hill and watch games.
Jim Conger OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVE PHOTO
Named after: Jim Conger, a former football coach, teacher and superintendent in Purcell. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame in the summer of 1981 and died Nov. 18 of that year.
Conger helped install the T-formation at all of Oklahoma City’s original Big Three schools — as head coach at Capitol Hill and Classen and as an assistant at Central.
How to get there from downtown OKC: Take I-35 south to Exit 95 and merge onto N. Green Ave. Turn left on W. Van Buren St. Turn left on N. 2nd Ave.
Purcell’s 2011 remaining home schedule
Oct. 7: Plainview, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 14: Pauls Valley, 7:30 p.m. (homecoming)
Oct. 28: Mustang JV, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 4: Lone Grove, 7:30 p.m. (senior night)
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This year the Purcell Booster Club President Dave Northcutt with help from Kevin Wren and many others worked diligently to paint the stadium at Conger Field. A fresh coat of paint and a few updates with the sound system and we can be heard across the bridge into Cleveland County! Come out and see our beautiful Conger Field!!