Marines honor Warhorses as Great American Rivalry Champions

Brotherhood and honor are two core beliefs of the Marine Corps, and the Warhorses proved that they too stand on the same foundation during their annual showdown with the Hondo Owls Friday night, Sept. 26. The game, which ended in favor of Devine 28-23, was featured by the Marine Corps in their Great American Rivalry series.

“The victory against Hondo felt great,” senior Hunter Dubose said. “Now we have bragging rights for the rest of our lives.”

All jokes aside, bragging rights weren’t the only things earned Friday night. An athlete from each school was honored by the Corps for their success in both academics and athletics. Senior Roman Gracia was chosen for the award by the Marines and presented it during the game.

“It was such a great honor for me,” Gracia said. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of my friends and family, especially my mother.”

After the win, the Marines also presented a key player with the Great American Rivalry MVP award. Senior Joe Guerrero was picked as the game’s most valuable player.

“I don’t know how to feel about winning MVP,” Guerrero said. “I feel like my line deserved it, because they opened up all the holes for me. I got that award through them and my team, and I’m very grateful.”

Praise for the offensive line’s performance Friday night is abundant among the boys of the team.

“Our offensive linemen had a great game,” Dubose said. “We all did a great job of playing together.”

Playing to each other’s strengths and working together is what helped the Horses accomplish their goals.

“We had to overcome a lot of adversity last week,” Gracia said. “Doing that while beating Hondo was the best feeling.”

The boys will face the Lytle Pirates for next week’s homecoming game at Warhorse Stadium at 7:30. Despite the nerves that come with such a big game, the Horses are ready for what comes their way; they remain a family through it all.

“I would not want to be on that field with anybody else,” Dubose said. “Those boys are my brothers, and they always will be.”