The football team’s promising run in the 2015-16 season came to an end following a 56-33 defeat at the hands of Denton Ryan on Nov. 13 at the C. H. Collins Stadium.

Denton Ryan hit first with junior quarterback Spencer Sanders finding sophomore Gabriel Douglas for a 28-yard touchdown pass. Plano East wasted little time tying it up, with senior Desmond Bowden rushing eight yards for a touchdown.

Despite a solid start, East found themselves trailing in the first half after two failed two-point conversions and a blocked extra point kick. A fumble with 10:29 remaining in the first half only added to the misery of the Panthers.

Such errors allowed Ryan to extend its two-point lead early in the second quarter to 28-18 by halftime.

The Raiders saw their lead cut to 35-25 on a 70-yard pass from junior quarterback Miklo Smalls to senior Tim Wilson early in the second half. However, back-to-back touchdowns allowed Ryan to close out the third quarter comfortably at 49-25.

Denton Ryan had not conceded 33 points or over 400 total yards to any team in the contest until faced with the Panther offense, but despite breaking the 33-point barrier, East wasn’t able to threaten the final outcome of the game.

A 16-yard touchdown run by junior Tyreke Davis with 3:35 to play capped what was a rough night for East’s defense.

Smalls finished with 18 out of 30 completions for 245 yards, four touchdowns and a team-high 52 yards rushing, but his efforts were not enough to keep East’s season alive.

The defeat ended the run for East after an 11-game season and a try at playoffs. From a 1-9 record a year ago, finishing the season 7-3, with a playoff game as well, provides a strong indication of the positive direction the program is heading.