Twelve Mighty Orphans: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites Who Ruled Texas Football

by Jim Dent

In the first round of the postseason, the Mites tore through highly respected Dallas Tech 32–0. The next week, unbeaten Highland Park never crossed midfield, and Masonic Home captured the regional finals 13–0. All that stood between the Mites and yet another trip to the state finals was Amarillo. Typically, the Golden Sandstorm, in their bright gold uniforms, was a harrowing sight to behold. The Sandies would wear down the orphans on a snow-covered field, where the temperature rose only to eleven degrees, and as the late afternoon light slipped away, Sandies kicker Virgil Pettigrew kicked a wobbly fifteen-yard field goal that seemed to quack as it wobbled over the crossbar. Amarillo won 3–0. Frustration gnawed at the lining of Russell’s stomach. Two shots at the state title had slipped through his fingers. Perhaps his greatest disappointment was that no one believed the Mighty Mites could do it in the first place. It was a long, painful seven-hour bus ride from Amarillo back to Fort Worth. The players rarely spoke as the bus traversed the slim, winding roads. But the trip was not made in total silence. The Mighty Duck quacked all the way.