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PESH opens season
Plano East Louis Finner will be one of the anchors on the Panther's offensive line as they open up the 2006 season tonight against Mesquite. Chris McGathey/Staff Photo
By Matthew Riley Sports Editor
Five years ago, the Plano East Panthers had a team seemingly destined for a state title. Unfortunately, fate had other plans for the team.
The Panthers were bested by the Mesquite Skeeters, 16-3, when the two teams last met in the opening round of the 2001 football playoffs.
The Skeeters went on to win the state title.
The Panthers could have a bit of an edge in the contest as the cross-town Plano Wildcats handed the Skeeters a 20-13 loss last week.
Even with the loss, Ringo indicated he still expects a fierce battle with the team.
“They’re a very good football team,” he said. “I think they had some issues with field position and special teams. Plano is a very good football team.”
Ringo said he expects his team’s defense, which was ranked in the top 10 in the area last season, to step up and slow down Mesquite quarterback Kelly Page.
“Defensively, we’ve got seven starters of a unit that was ranked in the top 10,” Ringo said. “It’s a strong group and we feel it will very much be a strong point for us.”
Page’s leadership ability is something Ringo indicated is what makes him such a dangerous asset to the Mesquite offense.
“He’s a guy we need to contain and he’s got some weapons,” he said. “He’s the key to making the whole thing go. They will be a focused bunch and they will come out ready to play.”
Even with Page being a strong part of the Mesquite offense, Ringo indicated the team’s focus won’t be on just one player.
“We try to look at what they do scheme wise,” Ringo said. “We want our kids to focus on what their job is and what their role needs to be. We really just try to focus on them as a unit, a group, and as a team and try to step them offensively.”
Ringo didn’t deny his team has some question marks. One of the more notable ones may be with new starting quarterback Riko Smalls.
“Offensively, we have some skilled kids. All five our offensive linemen are good sized,” he said. “They are a unit who played together last year and it should be a strength for us.”
A specific area Ringo said he wants to see his team step up is on offense. Smalls will get the opportunity to lead that aspect of the Plano East offense.
“He’s very calm and cool under pressure,” Ringo said of Smalls. “He has been on the JV and we want him to manage the game. He’s a vocal leader and he makes plays. We hope what we’ve seen to this point will be what we see every Friday night.”
With the new no-huddle offense coming together for the Panthers, Ringo said the team will look to balance their attack more than in previous seasons.
Ringo said the team won’t look for one specific player to step up and lead but will look to the 51 seniors on the Panthers squad to take control.
“The seniors and veterans are the guys we need to have step up each week,” he said. “Our seniors have to come up big each week for us to be successful.”
The Panthers will not have a bye week like the other two Plano high schools this season. The team begins district play with a contest at Lake Highlands on Friday, Sept. 29.
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