A whirlwind weekend in Ellensburg culminated in Enumclaw’s Jason Patterson being inducted into the Central Washington University Athletic Hall of Fame.

A former Enumclaw High football standout and current Enumclaw Middle School math teacher, Patterson was one of four former Wildcats enshrined. The May 3 ceremony took place inside CWU’s Nicholson Arena.

Friday, on the eve of the Wildcats’ spring game, Patterson was invited to share some words with the football team. That night, he was part of a “meet and greet” event with alumni and others. On Saturday, he was asked to call the first series of offensive plays before getting ready for the evening’s formal festivities.

It may be funny only in hindsight, but Patterson didn’t immediately get the word about his Hall of Fame selection. “I actually missed 10 or 12 calls,” he said, assuming they might be solicitations from the university. And he deleted the subsequent voicemails.

When he finally listened to one of the messages, it was Central’s athletic director informing Patterson he was being lauded on the Wildcats’ biggest stage.

“It was kind of a surprise,” he admits.

The numbers Patterson posted during his playing days place him firmly among the Wildcat greats and suggest he was a most worthy Hall of Fame choice. The CWU athletics website has this to say about Patterson.

“He is the program’s all-time leader in career pass breakups with 49 and is tied for the most passes defended in a single season with 20 in 2001. His record of 22 career interceptions stood until this past fall. Patterson ranks second in career interception return yards (306), second in career interception return touchdowns (3), and is tied for second in single-season interception return touchdowns in a season (2 in 2000). Additionally, he ranks third in single season interceptions (11 in 2001), is tied for third for the longest interception return (99 yards vs. Western Oregon), and is tied for third in single-game punt returns (6 at Montana Western). He also ranks fifth in career kick return yards (838), sixth in single-season kick return average (30.38 yards per return in 1999), tied for sixth in career punt (44), eighth in career punt return yards (416), eighth in career yards per kick return (23.28), and ninth in single season passes defended (13 in 1999).”

Patterson’s stellar 2001 season netted a handful of honors, including being a first team AP All-American. He was named the first-ever Great Northern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, earned First Team All-GNAC honors, and was selected to the D2Football.com All-West Region Team.

After graduating from Enumclaw High Patterson headed east to Ellensburg where he took a “redshirt” season in 1997. He suited up for the Wildcats the next four years.

Returning to his home town, Patterson settled in at Enumclaw Middle School and spent time on the coaching staff at Enumclaw High. Now, he said, with a son embarking on a high school career of his own, “it’s time to just be a dad.”