He possesses every news clipping from every football game played by the Patriots of Wheeling Park High School since 1976. Every single one. Photocopied. In sheet protectors.
That’s because Pete Chacalos means business when it comes to writing a coffee table book on the first 50 years of football at Wheeling Park High School. The long-time educator and author plans to begin writing once this season ends, and he hopes to publish it before the Patriots take the field in 2026.
In fact, he’s already designed the cover for the historic volume.
“I really love all sports, but football at Wheeling Park is something I’ve always followed closely for a lot of years,” he said. “As a student first, and then as a teacher and the athletic trainer, I knew a lot of the players through the years so it was personal for me. I lived through all those ups and downs through the years.
“I want to interview former coaches and players, and I hope some people will share their photos, too,” he said. “I know a lot of stories, and there will be a lot of that in there, but I’d like to interview as many people as possible, too. There were some great wins and some great seasons, so I’d like to talk to people about their memories.”
Those wishing to share information and stories, please email Pete at wpfb50years@gmail.com.
Three to One
The school was located at 1976 Park View Road and opened as the consolidation of Warwood, Triadelphia, and Wheeling high schools. Chacalos was graduated from Park in 1978, and then he taught the sciences at the high school for 34 years and was the head athletic trainer for 28.
Students in grades sophomore to senior attended classes once WPHS opened on Sept. 7, 1976, and the three former high schools became junior highs for grades seventh through ninth. Chacalos said he had more than 600 classmates in his graduating class.
Four days before Park High opened, the Patriots played their first-ever football game. Tom Korab was the first coach and the team’s first game was against cross-town rival Central Catholic High School at Wheeling Island Stadium.
The Maroon Knights won that historic battle, 20-14, and for more than two decades, the Park-Central rivalry was epic not only on the gridiron but in every sport.
“The rivalry between Wheeling Park and Central is still talked about even though they haven’t played each other in football in a lot of years,” Chacalos said. “When they did, it was the game to go to that ended summer around here. They played the first game of the season on the Friday night before the first day of school.”
Ever since that first loss, the Patriots have compiled a 313-222-1 record with only nine losing seasons in the first 49, but the program has recorded just one state title (2015) along the way. This season, Wheeling Park is now 4-2 following a 28-7 defeat to top-ranked Morgantown, but the Patriots will attempt to bounce back at home this Friday against 4-1 Fairmont Senior.
“They have a very good team,” Chacalos said. “Hopefully, they can get healthy this weekend and get back on track.”
Greatest Of All Time
Pete’s blueprint calls for him to write about Wheeling Park’s football program decade by decade, and he’ll include statistics for each season at the end of each chapter.
The author will highlight as many former players as possible, and he plans to tell as many tales about the linemen
“Football is a team sports, of course, and that’s why I want to hear back from as many people as possible,” he explained. “We hear a lot about the skill players who are scoring the points, but that doesn’t happen without the players in the trenches. That’s how football works.”
The team’s overall statistics determine leaders in categories like most sacks, most passing and rushing yards, most tackles and interceptions, and much more, and the book will contain those compiled stats, too, but eyewitness accounts have allowed Chacalos to form his own opinions about the best of the best.
And he’s revealing now who he believes is The G.O.A.T. now.
“No doubt in my mind is Darryl (Boogie) Johnson,” Chacalos insisted. “Everyone knows about his offense as a running back, and he is the all-time leading rusher in Wheeling Park football history even though he seldom played the whole games because we’d be out to a big lead and Coach (Ron) White would take him out to protect him. He had this spin move that I’ve never seen again.
“But he was very good on defense, too, and he returned kicks. He was on the field most of the game until he was taken out,” he recalled. “In my opinion, he’s the greatest football player to play for Wheeling Park, and I followed his career after he went to Oklahoma State, too.”
Tell Your Tales
Once again, those wishing to share information and stories, please email Pete at wpfb50years@gmail.com.
