HOMETOWN HISTORY:DEVINE WARHORSE “Firsts”

1986 – Scott Taylor, #32, Tim Hartings, #89, Patrick Sanchez, #45, Michael Espinoza, #80, and Ralph Ramirez, #36, make the path to a glorious game while junior varsity cheerleaders, Tammy Langley, Dawn Hoog, Bridget Hoog, and Sandra Haass hold up the “run-through” sign.” – from the 1986 Devine High School Yearbook *Check out the cheerleaders up high on their shoulders holding up the poles for the “run-through” sign.

“AS THE SMOKE CLEARS ALL ONE CAN SEE IS A HERD OF WARHORSES CHARGING ONTO THE FIELD!”
In the 103 years of Warhorse football, there have been many “firsts”, but this night in 2010 was extra special for the Devine Warhorse football team! For the very first time, they “charged” onto the field through their very own Warhorse Mascot Tunnel! It was an awesome sight for the fans, and the excitement from the team surged throughout the stands as well!
This was made possible through the fundraising efforts of special Warhorse fans and parents, who wanted to bring the ‘Horses up to the standards of other teams who had already been using these tunnels for several years. It was a special sight to behold, as the unique Warhorse head loomed solidly and proudly in Warhorse Stadium on that Friday night!

1990 run-through sign – from the 1991 Devine High School Yearbook.


But going back in Warhorse history, the run-through banners had been a consistent sight at Warhorse football games for decades. The early run-through signs were huge paper banners made of paper attached to poles that were held by the cheerleaders as the football players ripped through them to the playing of the DHS Fight Song by the Warhorse Band! These signs were drawn and painted by the DHS Cheerleaders, with help from the Pep Squad, friends, and others. They cut long panels from huge rolls of white craft paper, then taped them together before they even started drawing and painting on them! They spent their summer weeks and many, many hours making enough banners for the entire season. That was a great deal of work to go through just to have them torn through in a matter of seconds! But these were not just any signs, these were the ones through which the Warhorse charged through in their quest for Victory!
In later years, the signs were able to be purchased and though the signs changed in form and material, it was still the responsibility of the cheerleaders to haul them to games and set them up for the “charge-through” by the team.
From hand-made to man-made, the tradition of “run-through” banners, and the very first Warhorse tunnel, inspires the Spirit of the Warhorse in all of us from the very moment the players charge through them as the Fight Song rings in the night air.

2011- “The Devine Warhorses stampede out of the new “run through” for the first time ever at the home game against Pearsall”. – from the 2011 Devine High School Yearbook

At the 2015 Devine Homecoming, the run-through sign was “Old School”, with the Devine Warhorses charging through their fan made banner saying, “Once a Warhorse, always a Warhorse.”