Former teammates look to revive championship culture at alma mater

Story & Images by Michael Kinney

LAWTON– In 1990, Maurice Mayfield and Fred Thomas IV made up two-thirds of one of the most dynamic offensive backfields in Oklahoma prep football history. They were key cogs in Lawton Eisenhower’s drive to the 1990 5A State Championship and the USA Today National Championship.

That Eagles squad remains the only team from Oklahoma to attain that level of achievement.

**Photo by Michael Kinney/Michael Kinney Media**
*Above, Coach Maurice Mayfield (left), shows Fred Thomas IV some of the gear the Eisenhower football team will be sporting this year.*

Now, some 36 years later, the former EHS teammates are teaming up again for what may be an even more rigorous journey: Turning around an alma mater that has been in a constant battle for relevancy since that historic championship season.

In order to restore Eisenhower to its once-stellar perch, the coach and the businessman know it all begins with reminding present and future Eagles of who they are and who came before them.

“We’re Eisenhower,” Mayfield said. “These guys are going to understand that’s who we are. We talk about Bixby and Jenks and Union and Carl Albert. None of those guys have what we have: a national championship. And these guys got to understand that.”

When Mayfield, who had retired from coaching football in 2018, was named Eisenhower’s head football coach after the 2025 season, one of the first calls he received was from Thomas, who’s the founder and President of Hampton Investments, multi-family residential construction and real estate investing.

“As soon as I heard Maurice got the job, the first word that came to me was discipline,” Thomas said. “He knows what it takes to build young men, to build character, all the things it took for us to win,” Thomas said. “That doesn’t happen overnight. That stuff takes some time, and it takes discipline. It takes people who are committed.”

Despite being headquartered almost 80 miles away in Norman, Thomas wanted to do more than just say congratulations and good luck to Mayfield. The former quarterback, who went on to play at Oklahoma State, had a more hands-on approach in mind.

“I’ve known Fred since we were probably three or four years old,” said Mayfield, who was a bruising tailback on the 1990 championship team. “Our dads played softball together. They worked together. It’s more than a friendship. I mean, we’ve grown up together. He understands what I’m bringing here and what it takes to still win.”

Thomas decided to put his checkbook to work and make sure Mayfield had everything he needed to get the job done the way they know it needs to be done.

“It takes money to be successful,” said Thomas. “At the end of the day, they’re not giving away helmets. They don’t give away new turf. They don’t let you just write in and say, ” Hey, we need a new track’ and they come do it. They don’t do those things for free. And that’s the reality of the world we live in, especially the sports world.”

On Aug. 12, Thomas handed Mayfield an oversized check for $20,000 as members of the media took pictures. By many estimates, it’s one of the single biggest donations to the program in recent memory.

However, in reality, that money was already being put to work purchasing equipment, uniforms, and supplies that gridiron teams need to operate at a high level.

“It means freedom. People don’t understand,” Mayfield said. “Even me, when I got the job, I would look at a normal hand shield, and I’m thinking it’s like, you know, $60 bucks. It was more like $200. But you need 10 of them. That adds up fast. You don’t know that as an assistant coach or just a fan watching. To have somebody step in and say, “Here’s some money to help out,” it’s a huge burden off of our other coaches and me.”

Thomas wasn’t done there. Right after handing over the check, he took a tour of the Eagles’ fieldhouse and began taking notes on other areas that are in need of an overhaul.

While his long friendship with Mayfield is a big reason Thomas has taken on the role of Eisenhower’s benefactor, there is an even more important motivation behind his actions.

**Photos by Michael Kinney/Michael Kinney Media**

He believes the student-athletes walking the halls at EHS today deserve to feel what he, Mayfield, and other former Eagles felt during their years at Eisenhower. And that is pride. Pride in their team, pride in their school, and most importantly, pride in themselves.

That starts with getting the community back to supporting the program as they used to when Thomas and Mayfield were in their baby blue uniforms. He knows not everyone can hand over a large check during these turbulent times; there are other ways to show support, which are just as important.

“I think seeing everybody come together, get that energy back in the program like what we had and how excited we were and how people came out to the game,” Thomas recalled. “They supported us; we had helicopters (media) coming to our games. It was so much excitement around the program, not just on Friday nights. And that’s what I think a lot of what Maurice is going to build is that. Every single day was fun, and it was work. That’s what I’m hoping to get back in the Lawton community and Eisenhower; that this is a process, but it’s fun.”

Eisenhower kicks off the 2026 season Aug. 28 when they face rival Lawton High at Cameron Stadium. During their playing days, that was a matchup both Mayfield and Thomas thoroughly enjoyed competing in.

Thomas, who usually took on the extra responsibility of providing the Eisenhower Rap during Lawton High week, wants the players to enjoy the experience of being a student-athlete, but also not to take these high school years for granted. Not only are lifelong friendships built in the fire of gridiron competition, but so are a person’s character, toughness, and work ethic, which they will need in the future.

Thomas believes Mayfield is the right coach to bring those traits out of his players.

“I know what he’s going to bring to the program,” said Thomas. “It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s not supposed to. In real life, it doesn’t happen overnight. And in the business world, in the sports world, they kind of go together because it takes time to build things. And when those kids start to understand that as young men, Maurice can teach them how to work hard on the football field. And hopefully, when they leave here one day, Eisenhower has taught them how to be young men and be productive in the world.”