PLANO – Kevin Smith remembers just about every one of the 46 catches he's made this year. He also can tell you about the ones he didn't make in a Plano East season that has suddenly come unraveled.

The one he dived for and didn't catch against Richardson Berkner. Plano East lost that game, 35-21, starting a three-game skid.

The spectacular grab he nearly made against Wylie, when he snagged the ball with one hand and held it to his hip, only to have it come dislodged as he tumbled to the turf. That would have extended a fourth-quarter drive with Plano East leading, 36-33. Instead, Wylie rallied to win, 39-36.

In a season that has suddenly come down to a few plays, the players involved in the most consistent part of the Plano East offense – the passing game – want to do more.

They want to make every play tonight against Allen, even the impossible ones. Plano East has to win to get in the playoffs.

"We are spreading the ball around," receiver Kevin Smith said. "For the most part, we are playing well. But we're dropping too many passes. We're not playing the way we know we can. We have to do it against Allen."

Plano East (6-3, 3-3) is on the verge of missing the playoffs despite having a quarterback, senior Riko Smalls, who leads area Class 5A passers with 2,581 yards. He is 80 yards ahead of Southlake Carroll's Riley Dodge entering the final week of the regular season.

Smalls' receivers have played a big role in his success. There is not a speed burner among them, but as senior receiver Zack Patteson likes to say about the guys who get the majority of the catches, "We are all possession receivers." Plano East has seven receivers with at least 200 yards.

TOM FOX/DMN

Kevin Smith (19) leads Plano East with 46 receptions, many of them acrobatic catches.

Smith, a 6-5 senior who has orally committed to play basketball at Liberty, leads the group with 46 catches for 698 yards and eight touchdowns. He catches just about every pass thrown to him. He is Smalls' safety net, because he can throw the ball in Smith's vicinity and know most of the time he's going to catch it.

The missed chances against Berkner and Wylie, those were near spectacular catches that would have just added to the about 20 he has made this season.

"Basketball has helped me a lot," Smith said. "I just go up for the ball. It's kind of like going for a rebound."

Mikey White and Austin Conyers, who at 6-1 could pass as clones on the field, have produced big touchdowns for Plano East for two years.

White has nine touchdowns in the last 22 games and had a key touchdown catch in last year's area-round playoff win over Tyler Lee. Conyers has six touchdowns in the last 22 games and had the game-winning touchdown catch in last year's bi-district win over Rockwall.

Patteson has 28 catches, second on the team. Kevin Dillon, who runs the best routes, according to his teammates, is averaging close to 19 yards per receptions. Junior Rodney Thompson has one touchdown catch.

Plano East also utilizes its running backs in the passing game. Junior Toben Opurum has 24 catches and five touchdowns and a team-best 19.3 yards per reception.

"We're all individuals, but we're all the same," said Conyers, who also is playing on defense because of injuries. "We play the same style. We all run great routes. None of us really has a great amount of speed."

What they do have is a swagger, and where last year it was the defense that brought that every week for a Plano East team that lasted three rounds into the playoffs, this season it's the quarterback and his receivers. And they know the onus is on them to get the Panthers into the playoffs.

"We feel pressure to put points on the board," White said.

Added Conyers: "Our offense needs to play well. The defense has been allowing the big play. This game [against Allen] is all about being able to make them, and stop them."

SPREADING IT AROUND

Allen (9-0, 6-0 9-5A) vs. Plano East (6-3, 3-3), 7:30 p.m. today, Plano's John Clark Field (FSNSW; KTXG-FM 90.5)