By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Palestine's Jason Ford was down under this summer and having the time of his life.
Ford, a 2001 graduate of Palestine-Wheatley High School and a three-year starter for the Patriot football team, was given the chance of a lifetime and spent a month in Australia playing in the Down Under Bowl, an all-star high school football game showcasing seniors from across the United States.
The Down Under Bowl is the largest American football tournament played in Australia.
His team, the Arkansas Razorbacks, was one of 45 teams representing all 50 states and one of two teams from Arkansas featuring 80 players from across the state.
And best of all, they brought home the Divisional Title, beating Wisconsin in the championship game played in June.
Ford's trip to Australia was set in motion when former Palestine-Wheatley football coach Craig Laird submitted Ford's name to Hooten's Arkansas Football magazine.
The information about Ford caught the eye of Ed Hula, a former Berryville assistant football coach, who has been involved in the Down Under Bowl program as a coach for five years.
Hula was the Razorbacks' coach and liked what he saw in Ford.
"Jason did a great job for us in Australia," Hula said. "He is a fierce competitor with very quick feet and is what I like to call a 'high-character' youth. He is a very, good football player."
Hula got in touch with Ford and soon the connection and the commitment was made.
Ford, as he had done for the P-W Patriots, was Hula's center on offense and a defensive tackle.
While Ford was the lone player from the immediate St. Francis County area, other players on the Arkansas teams came from Berryville, Ozark, Rison, Gosnell, Cabot, Green Forest and East Poinsett County.
"Going to Australia to play in the tournament was the best time of my life," Ford said. "And winning the championship was great. Australia is a fantastic country and the best part about being there was that we were able to see other parts of the country besides just Gold Coast, where the tournament games were played."
Ford said the team visited Sydney, a former Olympic sight and also made a stop in Honolulu, Hawaii on the flight back.
The Razorbacks opened the tournament bracket by playing Wisconsin and beyond that were looking at a possible matchup against one of two Australian teams.
They needed only the first game.
"Traditionally, the Arkansas teams have the reputation of being the hardest hitting teams in the tournament," Hula said. "In the game against Wisconsin, which we won 28-8, there were some injuries to the Wisconsin players and a couple had to be taken to the hospital. It was nothing serious, just precautionary. Apparently the Australian teams got wind of what happened and forfeited to us, making the win over Wisconsin our championship victory."
The title was the fourth for Hula, who recently semi-retired from the Berryville school system to become the city's parks and recreation director.
He says he will stay with the Down Under program.
"We'll see how this summer progresses," Hula said. "I have already been in contact with some kids for the next trip, but with the high risk of traveling now, especially flying, I'm not sure what will happen."
As for Ford, he said his coaches at P-W always felt he had the talent to get to the next playing level.
"I was honored to be selected for the trip to Australia and for the chance to play alongside some talented athletes," Ford said. "But I couldn't have done it without the local companies and individuals who helped sponsor my trip.
Ford's sponsors were Co-op, Western Auto, First National Bank, Cooper Tires, Taylor Chair, Riceland Foods, Howard Miller Insurance, Store Services, K.T. Clay, Protein Products and Arkansas Electrical Outlet,
He is the son of Rickey and Delana Ford of Palestine.
The Forrest City White Junior Mustangs will play West Memphis East tonight at Friendship Field on the campus of West Memphis West, instead of at Hamilton-Schultz Field as originally set.
The West Memphis Blue Devils have a home game set for Friday night and did not want the field, already soaked from heavy rains, damaged.
In other junior high games tonight, Forrest City's Blue Junior Mustangs host Jonesboro MacArthur at Sam Smith Stadium, Hughes will hst England and P-W will play at Earle.
Kick off for each game is 7 p.m.
* CITY LEAGUES
Men's Adult Softball
Thursday, October 11
All Games Rained Out
Youth Soccer
Thursday, October 11
All Games Rained Out
Rescheduled for Tuesday, October 16
* PREP FOOTBALL
Junior High School
Thursday, October 11
FCity White at West Memphis East, 7 p.m.
Jonesboro MacArthur at FCity Blue, 7 p.m.
England at Hughes, 7 p.m.
Palestine-Wheatley at Earle, 7 p.m.
High School
Friday, October 12
Forrest City at Blytheville
Hughes at England
Palestine-Wheatley at Cross County
Brinkley at PB Dollarway
DeWitt at Lonoke
Walnut Ridge at Earle
Rector at Marked Tree
Parkin at Salem
Sylvan Hills at Cabot
Jacksonville at LR Mills
Jonesboro at West Memphis