A class featuring two former Falcon football players who excelled collegiately and in the NFL and the CFL will be officially inducted in October to the Marshall Patterson Athletic Hall of Fame at Fort Campbell High School. The inductees are expected to return to Ft. Campbell on October 27, for a host of events on the Hall of Fame Weekend.
The Class of 2023 for the Hall of Fame will be recognized on Friday night during the homecoming football game against Webster County.
This year’s class of inductees is:
Coach Leon Lee Lange – Girls & Boys Cross Country, Long Distance Track and Field
The late Leon Lee Lange was a Biology teacher at Fort Campbell High School. Leon started his career at For Campbell in 1979 as the Biology teacher and Cross Country coach. Coach Lange led the men’s and women’s cross-country teams to 5 state championships. In the fall of 1990, he was named to the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Hall of Fame. In addition to teaching at FCHS, Lee taught Biology at the Fort Campbell Center for Austin Peay State University. He was named Outstanding Biology Teacher in Kentucky in 2007.
Brigadier General Retired Rick Gibbs – Football
Rick played football for Fort Campbell High School from 1975-1977. He led the FCHS football team to their very first state championship in 1976. Rick’s mother Jean Gibbs and step-father SSG(Retired) David Marks were stationed at Fort Campbell with his older brother Wayne and younger sister Judy. Brigadier General Retired Ricky Gibbs is a native of Austin, Texas. He attended the University of Texas at Arlington, was a member of the Corps of Cadets, and served as Corps Commander during his senior year. He graduated in 1982 as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a BA in Physical Education. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in Infantry. His assignments included serving as a Rifle Platoon Leader, Scout Platoon Leader, and Company Executive Officer in Germany. On return from Europe to Fort Benning, GA, he served as Rifle Platoon Leader in the 3d Battalion, 75th Infantry (Ranger), and with the Ranger Training Brigade as Branch Chief of the Long Range Surveillance Unit School. Following graduation from the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, KY. He served as a Company Commander, Assistant Brigade S3, and as the Aide de Camp to the Division CG 101st Airborne Division in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal (3 OLC), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (6 OLC), Joint Commendation Medal, Army Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal (7 OLC), Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal Southeast Asia Service Medal with 3 Bronze Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Saudi Arabian Liberation Medal, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal. He is authorized to wear the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab, Pathfinder Badge, Joint Staff Identification Badge, and Army Staff Badge.
Debra McLemore-Duffy – Women’s Cross-Country, Basketball, Track and Field
Debra’s father, SGT Retired Arthur James McLemore, and Debra’s mother Rowena McLemore were stationed at Fort Campbell in 1975-77 with her three siblings Marlo, Margo, and David. Debra joined the Falcons in 1979 which began her four-year athletic career at Fort Campbell High School. Debra quickly became a leader on and off the playing field. She was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Who’s Who Among American Athletes. She was voted the superlative of Most Athletic Female, named team Captain, held MVP awards, and Most Outstanding Athlete to name a few. Debra was on 7 state championship teams: a combination of Cross Country and Track and Field. She was a three-time All-Area New Era Basketball Player and was on the regional team in 1983. After 40 years Debra still holds the 400 meter state record with a time of 57.0 as well as the 4×400 relay 3:58.0 state record for Class A. Debra had several basketball, four-year track and field scholarship offers before she signed the letter of intent to become the first recruited women’s sprinter to run for the University of Louisville. In 2005-06 she coached the Falcons to a regional championship and 6th place at the state meet. Debra is the CEO of a coaching and well-being firm. She is the author of her first published book “Grow the Health Up”. She still uses a wrinkle of her time as an assistant track and field coach.
David Peyton – Men’s Football, Basketball, Track and Field
David’s father retired command sergeant major Retired Thaddeus B. Peyton and David’s mother Hannah Peyton were stationed at Fort Campbell when David was an 8th grader along with his younger brother Michael. He played 1979-1983 football, basketball and ran track and field. As a basketball player, he was selected for All-District as a junior and a senior. When he was a senior he was selected All-State. When David played football he was selected for All-District as a junior and a senior. In his senior year, he was named 2nd team All-State. For his track and field career, he got first place in the district, first in sectionals, and second in the state. For the triple jump, he got 1st in the district, first in sectionals, and second in the state. For the 880-meter relay, his team got first in district and sectionals and second in state. Lastly, for the high jump, David got first in districts and sectionals and second at state. At FCHS, he was part of the Student Council and the Key Club. He received a full four-year scholarship at the University of Missouri.
Shekera Weston Thomas – Women’s Track and Field
Shekera (Weston) Thomas Shekera’s father 1SG Retired Robert Weston and her mother Jacquelin Weston and her brother Kellen were stationed at Fort Campbell. Thomas was a student-athlete at FCHS. Shekera was a multi-year state champion. She ran the 200m, 400m, 4x100m relay, 4x200m relay, and the 4x400m relay. Shekera ran at Fort Campbell from 1993-1996. Shekera attended Clemson University from 1996-2001 and was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014. Shekera was an NCAA Track All-American and an NCAA champion. She won eleven (11) state titles in track and field, winning in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x400m, and long jump. She helped the Lady Falcons win the state title in 1995. She has held the Class 2A 400m record for nearly 20 years with a time of 55.46.
Micah Johnson – Football and Basketball
Micah was a two-sport athlete at Fort Campbell, playing football and basketball. He was named Kentucky’s Mr. Football. He was a Parade All-American and was selected to play in the US Army All-American Bowl. His career totals for the Falcons included 2,543 rushing yards, 46 touchdowns, and 293 tackles. Johnson played his freshman and sophomore years at West Potomac High School in Alexandria, Virginia. A highly regarded recruit, Johnson chose the University of Kentucky over Georgia and Notre Dame and played at UK for 4 years. He currently plays in the Canadian Football League and is considered one of the best defensive linemen in the league.
Antonio Andrews – Football, Basketball, and Baseball
Antonio was a three-sport athlete at Fort Campbell, playing football, basketball, and baseball. In his last two seasons of football for the Falcons, he went 29-0 as the starting quarterback and helped lead the team to two Class 2A state championships. He was named Kentucky Mr. Football in 2009. For his high school career, he threw for 3,365 yards and 50 touchdowns, and he rushed for 3,368 yards and 56 touchdowns. He signed with the Air Force Academy and then transferred to Western Kentucky University. Andrews joined the Hilltoppers in 2010 and played in nine games. He had 174 rushing yards and 429 all-purpose yards. In 2011, Andrews played in eight games. He had 505 kick return yards and 590 all-purpose yards. He had a career-best 75-yard kick return against Navy. As a junior in 2012, Andrews became WKU’s starting running back. He led the Sun Belt Conference in rushing yards (1,728), punt return yards (234), and kickoff return yards (767). He scored 15 total touchdowns. Andrews also led the FBS in all-purpose yards per game, and his 3,161 all-purpose yards for the season was the second-highest total in FBS history, behind only Barry Sanders in 1988. Andrews had over 300 all-purpose yards in the last four games of the regular season. Andrews made the 2012 All-Sun Belt Conference Offense First Team, and he was named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week three times that season. He was also a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award. He later signed with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans and played RB for several years. Andrews made his NFL debut on November 23, 2014, against the Philadelphia Eagles. On September 27, 2015, Andrews scored his first career touchdown following a 12-carry, 49-yard performance against the Colts. On December 13, 2015, Andrews threw his first career passing touchdown to Marcus Mariota for 41 yards. Andrews finished the 2015 season with 520 rushing yards on 143 attempts with 3 touchdowns.
Sam Green – Special Recognition
Sam Green was one of the trailblazers who advocated for there to be an athletic hall of fame at Fort Campbell High School, in honor of the late Marshall Patterson. The Marshall Patterson Athletic Hall of Fame was started with the inaugural class in 2018. He also led the charge on having a sculpture of Coach Patterson commissioned and donated to Fort Campbell High School. Up until Sam’s death in September 2022, he was involved in the planning for the second class to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Past and future Hall of Fame classes will greatly benefit from his support, his initiative, and his unwavering admiration for Fort Campbell High School.
