To help Wildcat fans out, the Wildcat Tales will be posting a weekly preview of each Plano Senior football opponent prior to their clash with the Wildcats.

Next, the Wildcat Tales staff introduces Plano’s week seven opponents, the rival Plano East Panthers.

School – Plano East Senior High School.

Location – Plano, Texas (Population: 274,409), seven miles E of Plano Senior.

Division – UIL 6A – District 6.

2014 Record – 1-9 (8th in 6A – District 6), missed playoffs.

Current Record – 4-1 (3rd in 6A – District 6).

Last Meeting with Plano Senior – Lost to Plano Senior 34-6 in 2014.

Analysis – Plano East was defeated for the first time this season last Friday night at McKinney Boyd, losing to the Broncos 34-23. Despite the loss, the Panthers have already quadrupled their win total from last season and can become Plano city champions with a victory over the Wildcats.

Junior QB Miklo Smalls is the centerpiece of the Plano East offense, presenting a threat both through the air and on the ground. Smalls leads the Panthers in passing yardage (1,091 yards), passing touchdowns (12 TDs), rushing yardage (392 yards), and rushing touchdowns (6 TDs). Senior wide receivers Audie Omotosho and Tim Wilson have each caught three touchdown passes from Smalls, with both wide receivers also nearing 300 receiving yards for the season.

Defensively, the Panthers have only allowed an average of 24.4 points through their first five games this season, thanks in large part to junior linebacker Anthony Hines III. Hines, who is still uncommitted, currently has 75 NCAA Division I scholarship offers at his disposal, ranging from Indiana University to the University of Alabama. The play of Hines has enabled Plano East to smoothly change defensive formations, with head coach Joey McCullough switching from a 3-4 defensive lineup to a 4-3 lineup.

After failing to make the postseason each of the last three years, the Panthers are primed to make a return to the playoffs in 2015. Third in the district standings, Plano East will also look to defeat the Wildcats for the first time since 2011 on Friday evening.

Key Players – QB Miklo Smalls (Jr.), WR Audie Omotosho (Sr.), LB Anthony Hines III (Jr.).

Plano East Famous Alumni – Justin Blalock (former offensive lineman with the Atlanta Falcons, member of the 2005 National Champion Texas Longhorns), Stefani Carter (member of the Texas House of Representatives), Lee Nguyen (current soccer player for the New England Revolution and U.S. Men’s National Team), Dave Williams (lead singer for the band Drowning Pool), Jake Arrieta (pitcher for the Chicago Cubs).