BENTONVILLE - It didn’t take Kasey Ford much time to leave a good first impression on Bentonville football coach Barry Lunney.
Lunney wanted to see what the sophomore quarterback could do during a June team camp, so Ford was put into action against Jenks, Okla. The results caught Lunney’s eyes in a pleasing way.
“We didn’t have him in spring football, and having not spent much time with him, he came straight from the freshman team,” Lunney said. “He spent one day with us and with very limited offense, and I threw him into the mix against Jenks.
“I said to put him in, and we can run our zone play and throw a pass play or two that he knows. I saw then, to me, that he stepped in a couple of nice balls and ran the offense. Those things, to me,I thought when I saw them that this guy may have it.”
Ford eventually became the starting quarterback and helped the Tigers win their seventh straight conference title, then threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns in the Class 7AState Championship. He was named that’s game most valuable player, and it led him to being named the football Co-Newcomer of the Year for large schools by NWA Media.
Still, Ford admitted it would have been a tough sale for anybody who wanted to persuade him with what he would accomplish this season, even when preseason football workouts began in August.
“I wouldn’t have believed you,” he said. “Honestly, I didn’t think it would ever happen. I didn’t imagine even starting for this team.
“But I worked my rear off , and I had a bunch of support from teammates, family and coaches. I didn’t do it alone. I had God behind me, too. I knew it was His plan all the time. ”
Ford’s first taste of varsity action came during Bentonville’s home opener against Broken Arrow, Okla., and he ran for a touchdown. A week later, he moved into the starting lineup against national powerhouse Euless (Texas) Trinity.
His starting debut was anything but memorable. He completed 14 of 27 passes for 163 yards, but he also threw for three interceptions in a 21-13 loss.
“I was nervous,” Ford said. “I tell you, it’s a huge diff erence between playing in ninth grade and this. This game is a lot faster than ninth grade.
“It was a major thing I had to get used to. Those interceptions didn’t help much, but that was because I was nervous. I was so worried about making bad decisions and throwing bad balls. I knew going into conference play the following week I couldn’t be nervous and that I had to relax and play the game.”
Ford did throw one more interception - a tipped ball on his third pass attempt against Springdale Har-Ber a week later - but it proved to be his last. He countered with four touchdown passesin a 45-20 victory over the Wildcats, then went on to complete 107 of 185 passes for 1,846 yards and 22 touchdowns.
That included his seasonbest performance in the state championship game against Cabot, where he completed 7 of 8 passes in the second half and threw two touchdowns as Bentonville pulled away for a 39-28 victory.
“Even in that game against Euless Trinity, we saw some positives out of Kasey,” Lunney said. “What a game for him to start - against a team that made the final eight in Texas.
“He understands and grasps the fact of taking care of the football. There’s nothing wrong with punting and playing defense. He did a wonderful job of taking care of the football and not forcing things. He kept progressing.”
Sports, Pages 8 on 12/29/2013