East Aurora/Holland looks to ground game, two-way leaders for 2026 reset

Overview

• John Swiniuch enters his 10th season as East Aurora/Holland head coach and his 22nd year with the program.
• Swiniuch said the Blue Devils have four returning starters on both sides of the ball, with Colin Howard, Jason Snyder, Dominic Barkey and Luca Barkey forming the core.
• Bradley Seifert steps in at quarterback, where East Aurora/Holland will ask him to manage the offense, limit mistakes and lead.
• The Blue Devils want their ground game and offensive line to set the tone, with Dominic and Luca Barkey anchoring the line.
• East Aurora/Holland opens Sept. 4 at Falconer/CV/MG and has home dates against Lackawanna, Cheektowaga, Olean and Depew.

East Aurora/Holland Blue Devils 2026 Football Preview

John Swiniuch sees a tight East Aurora/Holland group trying to turn last year's adversity into a 2026 step forward.

Swiniuch enters his 10th season as the Blue Devils' head coach and his 22nd year with the program. Overall, he said this is his 27th year coaching high school football in Western New York.

The outlook starts with hunger after a 2025 season Swiniuch said included several long-term injuries.

"This is a tight group that is hungry for success after coming off of a 2025 season that saw our team deal with a lot of long term injuries," Swiniuch said.

East Aurora/Holland's goals are clear: improve the win total from last season and push toward a playoff berth.

Four-Man Core Leads The Foundation

The Blue Devils bring back a small group of returning starters, but Swiniuch likes the importance of that core.

He said East Aurora/Holland has four returning starters on both sides of the ball. In the backfield, senior captain Colin Howard and junior Jason Snyder are expected to lead the way. Up front, senior tackle Dominic Barkey and sophomore center Luca Barkey are central to the line.

Howard, a senior RB/DB, was a two-way producer in 2025. He caught 11 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown, rushed for 53 yards and made 35 tackles with two tackles for loss, one sack and three passes defended.

Snyder, a junior RB/DB, also returns after a productive defensive season. In 2025, he made 35 tackles, had one tackle for loss, one interception and seven passes defended, and he added seven catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Swiniuch said Howard and Snyder will be the backbone of the defense from the safety spots, while Dominic and Luca Barkey will be counted on along the defensive line.

Line, Ground Game And New Quarterback

East Aurora/Holland wants the ground game to drive the offense.

"Our biggest strength on offense will be our ground game," Swiniuch said.

That starts with a line Swiniuch believes can lead the way for the Blue Devils' skilled backs.

Dominic Barkey, a senior OL/DT/DE, made 27 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack and two passes defended in 2025. Luca Barkey, a sophomore C/DT, made 28 tackles, six tackles for loss, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and had one pass defended as a freshman.

Swiniuch said both Barkeys have "the strength, speed, and size to take over games on both sides of the ball," and their importance starts with the Blue Devils' run-first approach.

Bradley Seifert steps in at quarterback. Swiniuch said East Aurora/Holland will ask the junior to manage the offense, limit mistakes, make smart decisions and lead.

The Blue Devils' broader identity will still come from pace and physicality. Swiniuch said he wants East Aurora/Holland to be known as "a fast and physical team that is relentless." Offensively, the Blue Devils plan to control the line of scrimmage from a spread system that uses the full width of the field.

Defensively, Swiniuch wants a disciplined group that gets to the ball quickly. East Aurora/Holland will use multiple fronts and coverages, with an emphasis on cutting down explosive plays.

Players To Watch

Howard is the breakout player Swiniuch identified, and Howard, Dominic Barkey and Snyder are the team's primary leaders. Howard is a two-year captain.

Ace Majchrzak, a sophomore RB/LB, is the new contributor Swiniuch wants readers to know. Tanner Radovich, a senior RB/DB, is the special-teams player he said could make a difference.

Radovich brings returning offensive and special-teams production. In 2025, he rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown, caught 18 passes for 206 yards, and returned 12 kickoffs for 165 yards. He also had 11 tackles, one interception and four passes defended.

Schedule Landmarks

East Aurora/Holland is scheduled to open Sept. 4 at Falconer/CV/MG at Falconer High School, then host Lackawanna on Sept. 11 at East Aurora High School's Football Field.

The Blue Devils stay home Sept. 18 against Cheektowaga and Sept. 26 against Olean. October opens with a trip to Pioneer on Oct. 2, followed by an Oct. 9 home game against Depew.

The regular-season schedule closes with road games at Dunkirk on Oct. 16 and Iroquois on Oct. 23.

For the Blue Devils, the path is direct: let the offensive line and ground game set the rhythm, ask Seifert to settle into the quarterback role, and rely on a two-way core that Swiniuch believes can bring the physicality and maturity East Aurora/Holland needs.