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| SIGNING OFF- Patterson High football announcer calls it a career |
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| Written by Marc Aceves / Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 12 November 2008 | |
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“I love the players, and I love the whole Friday night atmosphere. I love high school football. It’s as pure as the game gets.” — Dennis Wheeland, Patterson football announcer Tigers players, coaches and fans have heard the voice of Dennis “Wheelo” Wheeland at home football games for the past 11 years. Now, with the last of his four children ready to graduate from Patterson High, he’s turning the mic over to the next generation. As the Tigers’ football public address announcer, Wheeland said, he has seen it all and called it all. And he has loved everything about it. “I just have a tremendous desire to be there,” Wheeland said. “I love the players, and I love the whole Friday night atmosphere. I love high school football. It’s as pure as the game gets. These kids are representing themselves, their school, their families and the community. “Win or lose, there’s been a spirit that is fun to watch, both on the field and in the stands.” Wheeland announced every game with one goal in mind: to read aloud both team’s rosters — names and numbers — at some point during the course of each game.  last call: Dennis “Wheelo” Wheeland signed off as the voice of the Patterson High football team Friday night after 11 years of announcing games. Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator “I apologize to anyone that I didn’t announce,” Wheeland said. “I learned over the years that you have to watch the kids as they enter and exit the field, because sometimes you only get one chance to make that call.” Wheeland’s time in the press box began with a stint as the Patterson Redskins’ field marshal. He rapidly worked his way up the ladder, first announcing Saturday youth football games and eventually the Tigers’ Friday night affairs. “I always tried to make the visiting team feel at home,” Wheeland said. “I tried not to show too much emotion through the PA system. “And I always remembered that I was not a coach, a ref or a cheerleader.” Wheeland added color to his spoken repertoire over the years. Fans of Patterson football will no doubt recognize his most commonly voiced play calls, catch phrases and commentary. Instead of counting down the yards ticked off on a particular run or reception, Wheeland opted for less-than-traditional cadences: “He’s three wide at the turn,” “He’s in the paint,” and “Warning track — touchdown!” “I liked to add little twists like that into the game,” Wheeland said. Wheeland has deemed his son Brett as the “Last of the Mohicans,” as his youngest child is set to graduate from Patterson High in the spring. With three children already proud Tigers alumni and one about to ascend to their ranks, Wheeland thought that the time to pass the mic to a fresh new voice was now. Still, it appears that Tigers announcing runs in the family — and Patterson didn’t have to search too far for Wheeland’s replacement. Eldest son Aaron Wheeland — a former Patterson athlete and current teacher — will helm the microphone as both the junior varsity and varsity football announcer beginning next season. Dennis Wheeland will perhaps best be remembered as someone who was not a lyrical larger-than-life announcer but a plainspoken low-key listener who modeled an objective style of his own. “I’ve called this my farewell tour,” Wheeland said. “I’m walking away with good memories.”
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