Lackawanna enters 2026 with returning receivers, defensive production

Overview

• Lackawanna's 2026 schedule opens Sept. 5 against McKinley at Iroquois Central High School, followed by a Sept. 11 road game at East Aurora/Holland.
• Kobey Underwood returns at WR/DB after catching 24 passes for 555 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025.
• Cody Maeweather also brings back receiving production after finishing 2025 with eight receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns.
• Jack Buyea recorded 48 total tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks in 2025, while D'Andre Gatson had 51 total tackles and three tackles for loss.
• Lackawanna's first scheduled home game at Lackawanna High School is Sept. 19 against Dunkirk, and the regular-season slate closes Oct. 23 against Olean.

Lackawanna 2026 Football Preview

Lackawanna enters the 2026 football season under head coach Marcus Rivers with several returning players who produced in 2025 on both sides of the ball.

The clearest returning numbers on offense come at receiver. Senior WR/DB Kobey Underwood caught 24 passes for 555 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. Senior WR/LB Cody Maeweather added eight receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns last season.

Those two give Lackawanna proven receiving production, while N'aszr Molson, Rodney Randolph and Adrian Garcia give the roster three quarterbacks to track. The senior group includes Underwood and Maeweather, along with RB/LB K'jon Clark, RB/LB D'Andre Gatson, FB/DE Jack Buyea, WR/DB Dominic Bevilacqua, DE/RB/QB Julius Santiago and TE/DE Tre' Sean Lee.

Returning Production

Buyea returns after a productive 2025 season on defense. As a junior, he finished with 48 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery. He also carried nine times for 49 yards and caught two passes for 32 yards.

Gatson returns after recording 51 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 2025.

Clark added 25 total tackles and one pass defended last season, along with five carries for 23 yards. Sincere Turner, a Class of 2029 LB/RB, recorded 26 total tackles as a freshman in 2025.

The line group includes senior OL/DL players Emmanuel Pacheo, Manny Pomales, Noah Ortiz, Jamire Jefferson, Joseph Pomales and Rafael Alicea, along with underclassmen Dominic Rogers, Karen Mcduffie, Kevin Cuddiy, Connor Hughes and Jaylen Evans.

Schedule Landmarks

Lackawanna's 2026 schedule opens Sept. 5 against McKinley at Iroquois Central High School - Turf Field #1a, then continues Sept. 11 at East Aurora/Holland.

The first scheduled game at Lackawanna High School comes Sept. 19 against Dunkirk. Lackawanna then travels to Pioneer on Sept. 25 and Depew on Oct. 1.

October also brings a home game against Cheektowaga on Oct. 9, a road trip to Iroquois on Oct. 16 and the regular-season finale against Olean on Oct. 23 at Lackawanna High School.

For Lackawanna, the preseason picture starts with proven receivers, returning defensive production from Buyea and Gatson, and a schedule that brings three listed games to Lackawanna High School after the opening two weeks.