Underdogs

Despite dealing with adversity, players thrive at Friendship, which saw 19 players in the class of 2012 earn college scholarships. A Sports Illustrated Original.

After one of the deadliest tornadoes in American history devastated the town, the Joplin High football team tries to prepare for an emotional season. A Sports Illustrated Original.

Reagan High School is profiled in Austin, Texas. Once a perennial state championship contender, the team is on the long road back as it looks for its first win in over a year. A Sports Illustrated Original.

The Pahokee Blue Devils boast a rich football tradition, but the team -- and town -- have fallen on hard times. A Sports Illustrated Original.

At Ishpeming High, Eric Dompierre, a 19-year-old kicker with Down Syndrome, prepares to take the field after years of petitioning for eligibility. A Sports Illustrated Original.

Players at the California School for the Deaf have learned to turn a disability into an advantage, and seek a third consecutive playoff appearance. A Sports Illustrated Original.