Thirteen seniors at Plano East High School pose for pictures after signing a National Letter of Intent with their college of choice during a ceremony that was held May 13. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media
By David Wolman
Thirteen seniors at Plano East High School signed a National Letter of Intent with their respective college of choice during a ceremony that was held in Archie McAfee Gymnasium on Wednesday, May 13.
Sarah Romero will compete in cheerleading at Navarro College.
Romero brings a championship resume to Navarro. She was named an NCA All-American cheerleader, a Cheersport champion, an NCA All-Star champion and two-time ACC national champion. In February, Romero helped the Lady Panthers to bring home wins in four divisions at the ACC National Championship in Orlando, Florida.
Navarro has won the NCA National Championship 17 times and this year achieved its first-ever NCA National Championship with a final score of 91.0.
Carter Cox signed with Texas Wesleyan for men’s golf. As a senior, Cox won two tournaments – the 2026 Gopher Spring Classic at Prairie Lakes with a 73 and the Lewisville High School Spring Classic at Prairie Lakes with a 69 – took second at the Lewisville Fall Fighting Farmer Tournament at Indian Creek Golf Course and was fourth at the Fall District Preview with a 75.
Head boys basketball coach Matt Wester spoke highly of the three signees from his team: Jayden Parker (University of Texas at Arlington), Keagan Ho (MidAmerica Nazarene University) and Moustafa Abualneel (Wayland Baptist University).
Parker has been the team’s starting point guard each of the last two seasons, helping lead Plano East to a 52-14 record over that span of play, including a District 6-6A championship this year. He was named the district’s Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.
Two of the first things that came to Wester’s mind about Ho were, one, he was a great shooter and, two, takes a lot of charges.
Abualneel leaves Plano East as a winner. The Panthers won 92 games over the last three years with Abualneel playing power forward and helped lead his middle-school team to the city title when he was in the eighth grade.
Another forward for Plano East, Madeline Bankhead, will continue her basketball journey at Judson University.
Bankhead helped lead the Lady Panthers to their first-ever state semifinals appearance during her junior season and to an undefeated district title as a senior. She earned a selection on the all-6-6A second team as a senior and won the co-Defensive Player of the Year team award.
Jaxsen Harris and John Paul will continue their playing football careers at Midland University.
Harris, a two-year starter on the Panthers’ offensive line, allowed zero sacks over 10 games as well as helping Plano East to rush for more than 2,000 yards. Paul, a defensive end, posted 36 tackles, was second on the team in tackles for loss (6) and first in sacks (4) as a senior.
Emma Martinez, a two-sport standout in volleyball and track and field, will compete in college for Southern New Hampshire University. Plano East head girls track and field coach Robert Reed spoke highly of Martinez’s leadership. Martinez is a member of the team’s Student-Athlete Leadership Program.
Martinez is one of three signees in track and field.
Caitlyn Tran will run the hurdles for Southern Methodist University, while Milton Davis signed with Dallas Baptist University.
Tran broke the school record in the 100-meter hurdles three times and last weekend competed in the Class 6A state meet. Boys coach Jonathan Bannister spoke highly of Davis’s determination to battle through adversity.
Mari Sias helped to change the trajectory of the Lady Panthers volleyball team, whose rise was culminated with an appearance in the regional final last fall. Sias, an outside hitter, will carry over her winning pedigree to Southern Connecticut State University. She was second on the Lady Panthers in kills as a senior.
Outfielder Landon Weeks will continue his baseball career at Arkansas State University Three Rivers. Weeks, who was recently named a unanimous selection on the all-district first team at outfielder, hit .360 as a senior.
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