After a 55-22 loss to Plano West [6-1 overall, 4-1 in district 6-6A] last Friday, the Farmers [3-4, 2-3] are looking to bounce back against a struggling Plano East team [1-6, 1-4] tonight at home at 7:30 p.m.

“They have a quick running back and some good receivers,” said senior captain and defensive back Kori Williams about Plano East. “We just have to be mindful of them.”

The Panthers have two useful quarterbacks in junior Miles Thompson and sophomore Miklo Smalls. The two have combined for 746 all purpose yards this season but have only thrown for three touchdowns. Williams mentioned East’s senior running back Jaquawan Douglas who leads the team with 420 yards and five touchdowns.

Offensive threats from the Farmers include senior wide receivers Trinity Benson and Cameron Creal as well as senior quarterback Adrian Villarreal. Creal has 490 receiving yards this season as well as three touchdowns catches. Benson, the team’s top scorer, has 603 combined rushing and receiving yards and a total of eight touchdowns this season. Villarreal has thrown for 14 touchdowns this year, all while maintaining 58 percent completion accuracy.

At this point in the season, practices begin to run a little more smoothly, said senior linebacker and captain Cody Kearns.

“It’s a little bit more up tempo, faster,” Kearns said. “We’re having fun in practice, and it’s not as monotonous.”

With three games left, the playoff picture is clearing up a bit. Leading the pack of district 6-6A is Allen [7-0, 5-0], Plano West, Flower Mound Marcus [5-3, 4-2]. The Farmers have already faced these tough opponents however, and are looking ahead to make a run for a playoff berth this season.

“I’d say we weathered the storm well so far,” Williams said. “We have fought hard to this point. Coach Miller has put [our team] in the right direction, it’s just our job to steer the wheel now.”

Winning the final three games would guarantee at least a tie for the fourth playoff spot in district 6-6A. In a district full of collegiate prospects and state champions, Creal talked about the challenges of the Farmers’ schedule.

“The only advantage is we know how good [these other teams] are,” Creal said. “We see these other teams play them [and play them ourselves] and we know what we need to do to step it up.”