This morning, the floors of the gym shook with the pounding of feet. Pinkies high, students swayed to the fight song. The football team whistled and yelled as the drill team, cheerleaders, dance groups and band performed amid cries of “East side!” and “Go panthers!”

It’s been four years since Plano East made it to playoffs. Four years of hard-fought games, sweat and blood and building frustrations. Finally, the hard work is paying off. At 7:30 tonight, the Panthers take on Denton Ryan at C.H. Collins Stadium, and they’re hungry for a win.

“In the locker room, it’s more serious now because we need to win to keep going,” senior Marc Ishmael said. “And none of us want to lose.”

This season hasn’t come easily, but the team emerged with a 7-3 record and significant victories over Plano Senior and Plano West.

“We are going to head into this game the way we headed into every game in the regular season,” senior Trevor Owens said. “We’ve been working really hard, making sure we are prepared.”

Going up against an undefeated Denton Ryan, currently ranked 10th in Division 6A, won’t be easy, but the football team is driven in the way that only a program that has been through so many ups and downs can be.

“Every play is going to be really hard fought,” Ishmael said. “We try to play hard every game, but it’s just a totally different thing when you are in the playoffs and it’s the elimination round. You’re playing for your right to continue.”

Fielding questions about their successful season and the big game, Coach Jones kept it simple.

“We’re gonna win,” he said. “That’s all I have to say.”