Mark Drennan was one talented athlete and the youngest from a talented family of seven boys, all raised on Castaic Avenue in Oildale. The Drennan name was synonymous with athletic excellence at North High during the 50’s and 60’s. Oldest brother George was an excellent two-year varsity starter in three sports (football, basketball and baseball) and each of the other siblings, John (deceased 12/1/12), Jim, Dave, Bill, Mike and of course Mark, made the Drennan name famous on the North High athletic fields and in the classroom.

Their father, William, was a decorated Navy Veteran and a local contractor until his untimely death in 1965. Mother Evelyn (Hadlock) Drennan was a school teacher. It was an amazing family.

Mark graduated in 1971 after excelling in football, basketball and track. He played two years of varsity football and quarterbacked the SYL Championship team in 1970. On that team was future NFL player Randy Rich. Mark was named First-Team All-SYL at free safety in 1970.

In basketball, he was a two-year varsity starter and was a standout on the track team as well. He set the school record in the long jump at 19’11½” as a freshman! He was named the winner of the prestigious Sam Lynn Award for 1971 and still found time to serve as North High’s senior class President.

His track exploits started as an 11-year-old when he set a national record in the Long Jump and anchored the 220 relay team to another National Record at the Jr. Olympics.

After graduating from North High, Mark received a football scholarship to the University of Washington and started on the “Scout Squad” as a freshman. In those days, freshmen were not allowed to play with the varsity. He played wide receiver, free safety, kick and punt returner and back-up punter. He scored all 20 points in 21-20 loss to Oregon that year. The school has named an award in his honor: The “Mark Drennan Defensive Scout Squad MVP.”

On Aug. 11, 1972, following his freshman year at Washington, this talented young man’s life came to a tragic end in an automobile accident here in Bakersfield. It was just days before his return to school. He was going to be a 2-way starter in 1972 for the Huskies.

His brother, Dr. Mike Drennan, believes some of Mark’s fondest memories would have been playing drummer in a four-man garage band “Mother’s Mess.” They played at the Friday night school dances his freshman year. The band practiced endlessly in the father’s old general contractor’s office, their garage. The neighbors probably loved that.

Congratulations to Mark and the entire Drennan family. They are a very special piece of North High history and we are proud to honor one of the greatest of that family, Mark Drennan.

You might have to look a long time to find someone in Kern County who has not only done more for North High but others as well. Greg Fowler, blessed with a very successful business (Brown and Fowler Construction), originally got involved volunteering his time at North of the River baseball fields. His young son Matt was playing there and Greg was always ready to lend a helping hand.

Greg graduated from South High in 1967 where he played some basketball and four years of tennis. He got involved with North of the River Recreation and North High School athletics after moving to the Oildale area in 1987. There he met North High coaches Stan Moe and Tony Silver and began getting involved with projects at North.

Starting in 1991, all he did was assist Rolly Rhoades with the installation of lighting and seating for the tennis complex and handle the grading and laying of sod for Turk Eliades Field. And, oh yeah, for good measure, he also helped put up the scoreboard. In addition, he helped Duane Williams build the girls’ varsity softball complex, known to be the best in Kern County. And he wasn’t finished yet, not by a long shot. He still found time to donate his time and efforts to help Tony Silver with the leveling and sodding of the boys’ varsity baseball field, put up new dugouts and a scoreboard and add stadium type seating.

That’s a career for most people, but not Greg Fowler. He went to work with Stan Moe to remodel the North High Bingo Hall on Knudsen Drive. In 1990, he was named the Bakersfield College Light Brigade’s Man of the Year at their annual BC Baseball Hot Stove Dinner for his efforts in helping install lights at Gerry Collis Field.

He helped Stan Moe and Eldon Ross with the JV baseball team from 2003-2008. He was elected Booster Club President in the late 1990’s and has continued to be a huge supporter of NH Athletics. Never content to sit back and let others do the work, he was always ready to lend a hand (or backhoe) whenever needed.

It’s a testament to Greg’s kindness, generosity and easy-going personality that he made him available for so many projects. Thousands of student athletes and coaches have benefited from the prodigious work ethic, skill and bottomless compassion Greg brought to North High projects.

Greg’s company is still going strong, celebrating 30 years in business. He credits Marilyn, his wife of 44 years, and his children and North high graduates Meagan (Class of ’95) and Matt (Class of ’97), for supporting his efforts.

Congratulations to Greg. Thanks so much for moving to Oildale.

Ben Hargis attended Edison Elementary, Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield College and UCLA. He attended BC when it was still on the campus of BHS. It was at BHS where he started his community service, being elected Boy’s Service Club President in his senior year.

In 1956, Ben met North High student Bonnie Burt. So from Blue and white, it was Red and Grey. They were married in the spring of 1959. After completing his education at UCLA, he and Bonnie moved back to Bakersfield and began an organic fertilizer business with his father, and 55 years later it still exists. They had three children, two girls and a boy, all of whom graduated from North High. The two girls were cheerleaders and volleyball players and the son a wrestler and football player.

It was in 1970 that Ben started helping Danny and Yvonne Thomas with Booster Club barbeques. He continued his association with the Booster Club for the next several years.

He is most proud of the Booster Club’s effort in building North High’s first athletic weight room. Though this monumental task was completed with the help of local businesses, coaches, boosters, Oildale citizens, teachers and district personnel, it could not have happened without Ben Hargis’ efforts. His family has always been proud to be 08ers and North High school supporters. Ben and Bonnie can still be seen at the school’s athletic events.

To help cement close bonds between athletic coaches, community members and especially Booster Club members, Ben has provided his cabin at Bass Lake for several years for retreats during the summer months. Those who attended have had several memorable moments. Not only did it bring people together, it created respect and appreciation for all the efforts of all the people who were most active in North High School athletics. Ben Hargis is what being a booster and contributor is all about. BHS should be so lucky.

Stan Ingram came to North High School in 1964 by way of the University of Colorado in Boulder where he earned his Master’s degree. Born and raised in Kansas, Stan attended the University of Kansas on a partial athletic scholarship. In 1959, Stan was a member of the NCAA Championship Track and Field Team along with BC’s Bob Covey, and, Olympian, Bill Mills.

North High was Stan’s one and only teaching/coaching job. He taught PE and mentored many accomplished athletes in track and cross country for 31 years. Stan considers Linda Goen Hatcher, also a member of the Hall of Fame, as his most outstanding and talented runner. He got to know a more personal side of his athletes by sponsoring the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for many of his 31 years.

Stan and his wife, Judy, moved to Kansas upon his retirement to be closer to family, but many of his students continue to stay in touch with them. One in particular is Ron Jones who is a health and fitness professional in Valencia, California, and, who was a student/athlete at North High graduating in 1978.

Ron shares this about Coach Ingram: “To talk about ‘Coach’ Ingram, I must first talk about Stan as a person. Decades later, after North High, Stan still remains as one of the most honorable men I have ever known. His kindness, support, demeanor, quiet humor, and humility remain as fresh today in my soul as in 1978. I remember looking up to him because he continued to exercise daily and stay in shape-I never forgot it…..my roots to lead by example go back to Stan Ingram at North High School.”

He goes on to say, “Stan taught us to go the proverbial distance. We loved his confident leadership and strove to be our best while also enjoying our teammates. I remember his calm Midwestern sayings from Kansas. During challenging workouts or meets, he would remind us to ‘bow our necks’. We leaned into the fray and kept going. I must have reflected thousands of times in my life about very difficult and challenging circumstances -so many times I flashed back to North High and Stan Ingram. He taught me about that extra gear required, not just for distance running, but, for running my life and career.”

“I have met other former Stan Ingram runners from North High….regardless of the era or year, they all have the same positive reflections of their experience there under Coach Ingram. We all loved him beyond running because of the person he was and the example he provided to be a good, honest, hard working citizen-and then to run our best too. Last year, I began teaching movement classes on running and went right back to the ‘vintage drills’ Stan Ingram taught us…they still work today.”
“Thank you Coach Ingram..they were truly some of the best times of my life. Your guidance, your passionate desire to coach, your leading by example as a healthy and fit coach has never left me. I am a better person because of your running program and friendship. Your Stars shine bright.”

Another former student/athlete, Rob Bray, a principal in the Rosedale School District, remembers Stan as “an absolutely outstanding coach who cared deeply for every athlete…regardless of their abilities. People like Stan Ingram don’t come around often in one’s lifetime, and, typically, it’s not until much later in life that you realize their influence on you. It was his strength of character that made him someone worthy to emulate, look up to, and, remember. Integrity pretty much defines what Coach Ingram has always been about, and, to this day, I know of no one who demonstrates that exceptional quality to the extent that he does. I feel so very blessed to have had those four years with him at North High, and, certainly, there can be no one more deserving of this recognition.”

Stan is so thankful for his 31 years at North High; a most positive experience with administration, teachers, and students.

A 1983 graduate of North High School, Wendy Martell-Taylor may never have been known as one of the most prolific female athletes in North High and Fresno State history had it not been for the landmark legislation of Title IX allowing her to play and compete in high school and college. The late 70’s were groundbreaking years for female athletes when Title IX was just being implemented in high school and colleges around the country. Wendy, without realizing it, blazed a trail of competitive excellence not only for women but men as well.

If you followed the high school sports scene in Kern County in the early 1980s, you often heard of a basketball phenom by the name of Wendy Martell. Also, if you happened to be in the vicinity of Fruitvale-Norris Park during those years, you would often see Wendy practicing and honing her skills, endlessly and tirelessly, on the basketball courts there.

With a work ethic that is unparalleled, Wendy was never content to get by on her God-given talent. A self-confessed gym rat, she knew that champions came from hours and hours of practice when no one was watching to cheer you on and your desire to make the most of what God has blessed you with was your only companion.

Wendy’s efforts were rewarded, being named to the All Northern California High School Basketball Team twice. Also, as a high school senior, she was named South Yosemite League Most Valuable Player and she was the recipient of the Jim Tyack Award, which annually recognizes the outstanding male and female athlete in the Kern High School District.

Wendy took her prodigious talent to Fresno State where she quickly made an impact, being an Honorable Mention All-American as a freshman. Enjoying a stellar career at Fresno State, she was a two-time First-Team All-Conference player and was also named to the All-American team in both her junior and senior years. She was also named PCAA Conference Player of the Year as a senior.

Wendy excelled in the classroom as well, being named Fresno State Female Scholar Athlete of the Year as a senior. Her faith was also acknowledged and recognized by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, who named her their Fresno State FCA Athlete of the Year twice. Furthermore, her basketball playing days didn’t end at Fresno State. In 1987, she played professionally in the Europe Cup with Stade Francais Versailles.

Wendy’s induction into the North High School Hall of Fame was preceded by her induction to the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame. She was the first Fresno State Women’s Basketball player to have her jersey retired and she was named to the top 25 greatest athletes at Fresno State for the 20th Century chosen from all sports.

Wendy has used her love for basketball and God as a springboard to travel the world sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Basketball continues to be a huge part of her and her family’s lives. She has been married to her husband, Lance Taylor for 25 years. Lance played collegiate basketball for Belmont University in Tennessee. She resides in Hendersonville, Tennessee with Lance and their five children: Bailey, McKenna, Sawyer, Reese, and Zac, who all enjoy playing basketball.