Anthony Ford could have taken several routes for the future, but one seemed right to him.
The Centralia senior signed to play baseball for Moberly Area Community College as he made clear during …
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Anthony Ford could have taken several routes for the future, but one seemed right to him.
The Centralia senior signed to play baseball for Moberly Area Community College as he made clear during a ceremony on April 22 in the Centralia High School gym. Ford has won multiple awards in multiple sports at Centralia, including all-state honors in football and basketball this season.
Ford said he initially considered football as the sport to pursue, but baseball would take him on a more comfortable route to a familiar place.
“I know a lot of guys at MACC,” Ford said. “It only made sense.”
Ford said MACC head coach Chris Fletcher was his hitting coach at 12 years old. Ford is excited to play for him and play more with some of the current MACC players. Ford enjoys much about the game.
“The highs are highs and the lows are lows,” Ford said. “It’s the most mental sport. That’s my strongsuit. With my mentality, I can deal with those low points. It’s a very competitive sport. Anybody can win at a certain time, and that’s what I love about it.”
Centralia head coach Mike Rodgers said Ford is dependable and has been “a main guy” since freshman year. Rodgers said Ford has been improved in all areas of the game and is stronger, more flexible and agile.
“We all knew Anthony was going to continue his academic & athletic career,” Rodgers said. “We just didn't know for what sport or where. I'm excited he chose to play baseball for MACC. MACC is having a great year with a great roster, and I think Anthony will step in and make an immediate positive impact.”
Ford is part of a potent Centralia offense that has been averaging double-digit runs all season. He is one of several Panthers with an OPS over 1.000. His ERA on the mound has been below 1.00.
Statistically, Ford has meant a lot to Centralia. He said it goes both ways as the school has a ton of value to him with “unforgettable” relationships with coaches and “a great community behind your back.”
“Centralia has taught me a lot of things that will make me a better person going forward,” Ford said. “As far as character and mental aspect, going anywhere else, I don’t know if they teach that as well as they do here.”
Rodgers said Ford has much more value to the Panthers beyond statistics.
“Our guys rally around him and he is the biggest fan of his teammates,” Rodgers said. “You see that every moment when one of our guys has success. Just go back and watch one of Cole (Higginson)'s home runs, Chase (Kempker)'s pitching performances, or Luke (Waltemate)'s big plays. Anthony is always jacked and excited for them.”
Ford said he has done best at hitting and wants to keep hitting at MACC. He plans to major in education to become a coach.
“Playing varsity freshman year (in high school), you’ve got a long ways to go, of course,” Ford said. “I’ve gone through it all. I’ve been on the incline and have progressed a lot throughout my career.”
