Niagara Falls preview starts with experienced senior defense and returning receivers

Overview

• Niagara Falls enters 2026 under head coach Don Bass after finishing 4-5 in 2025.
• Bradley Miller returns as a senior linebacker after making 74 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, forcing three fumbles and recovering four in 2025.
• Gavin Hardy adds nine tackles for loss and four sacks from 2025, while Terrence Cole returns after 32 tackles and an interception.
• Quran McTyere and Catino Woods are back in the senior receiver group after each catching a touchdown pass in 2025.
• The schedule opens Sept. 3 at Niagara Wheatfield and includes home games against Lancaster, University Preparatory, Lockport and Health Sciences/BASC/Charter.

Niagara Falls 2026 Football Preview

Niagara Falls enters the 2026 football season with a senior-heavy defensive core and a pair of returning wide receivers who produced in the passing game last fall.

Don Bass leads Niagara Falls. The program went 4-5 in 2025, and the current roster gives Bass several Class of 2027 players across the defensive front, linebacker group and secondary.

The clearest returning production starts at linebacker. Bradley Miller, a senior LB, made 74 tackles in 2025, including 16 tackles for loss. He also forced three fumbles, recovered four and added a sack.

Gavin Hardy is another senior in that defensive group. Hardy, a LB/DE, made 31 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four sacks as a junior.

Terrence Cole, a senior RB/LB, added 32 tackles, six tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 2025. Chase Lowery, a senior DE/OT, had 20 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery. Alchemist Matthews, a senior LB/DL, recorded 11 tackles and four tackles for loss.

Receivers Back In Senior Class

Niagara Falls also brings back two senior receivers with prior-season production.

Quran McTyere, a senior SB/DB, caught 13 passes for 268 yards and one touchdown in 2025. He also contributed on defense with 19 tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery and five passes defended.

Catino Woods, a senior WR/S, caught 17 passes for 219 yards and one touchdown last season.

That gives Niagara Falls returning experience at multiple spots on the perimeter. The roster also lists senior Miguel Williams and Nick Rafferty at WR/DB, along with junior Mason Hilson at WR/DB and sophomore Jameir Vincent at WR/S.

Roster Picture

The backfield group includes senior Jaylen McMillan, senior Terrence Cole, senior De'ondre Walker and junior Daron Fair, Nakhi Welch and Shiah Kennedy among the listed RBs.

Up front, the senior class includes Lowery at DE/OT and Louis Porter at TE/DE. The offensive and defensive line group also includes juniors Evan Mellan, Vance Adamson, Tyson Young, Jayden Banag, Corey Pruitt, Mason McNiff, Thomas Kresman, Derek Santana, Loghen Best, Palmer Goodberry, Jayden Basden and Jachai Mayfield-Giles, along with sophomore Da'wayne Ollison.

The roster also includes junior K/P Kyle Dean, senior quarterback John Smith and junior quarterback Myrel Brundidge.

Schedule Landmarks

Niagara Falls is scheduled to open Sept. 3 at Niagara Wheatfield at Niagara-Wheatfield High School, then plays its home opener Sept. 12 against Lancaster at Niagara Falls High School.

The road stretch continues Sept. 19 at Hutch-Tech at All High Stadium and Sept. 25 at Jamestown at Jefferson Middle School's Strider Field.

October brings three home games in the final four weeks. Niagara Falls hosts University Preparatory on Oct. 3, visits Bennett on Oct. 9 at All High Stadium, then closes the listed regular-season schedule with home games against Lockport on Oct. 17 and Health Sciences/BASC/Charter on Oct. 24.

For Niagara Falls, the preview picture is built around a defense with several senior returners who made plays in 2025, plus a receiver group led by McTyere and Woods. How that returning production travels through a schedule with four road games and four home games will shape the season.