You don’t see Fort Hancock coming—until you do. Traveling south along I-10 from El Paso, there are no welcome signs pointing toward the small West Texas town. But then, as you near the Mexican border, there’s that navy blue water tower emblazoned with text looming large against the horizon. “Fort Hancock Mustangs,” it reads. “6-Man State Football Champions.” The writing commemorates the local high school’s football program, which won Texas state titles in 1986 and again every year from 1988–1991.

The water tower is the best-kept structure for miles around; its preservation says a lot about the importance of the sport in an otherwise remote community. But last week, when Fort Hancock High School honored the one hundredth anniversary of its founding ahead of a football game against the visi

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