Pioneer enters 2026 with veteran core chasing Class B2 contention

Overview

• Jim Duprey has been part of Pioneer's football staff since 1993 and has served as head coach since 2002.
• Duprey said Pioneer hopes to compete for a division championship in a highly competitive Class B2.
• The Panthers bring back 23 lettermen, nine offensive starters and nine defensive starters, according to Duprey.
• Drew George returns at quarterback after starting every game in 2025, while Isaac Platt, Cole Schlueter, Carson Matyjasik, Cooper Rhodus and Ryker Waite give Pioneer a deep senior core.
• Pioneer opens Sept. 4 at Olean, then hosts Dunkirk, Starpoint, Lackawanna, East Aurora/Holland and Depew during a home-heavy regular-season schedule.

Pioneer Panthers 2026 Football Preview

Jim Duprey has been around Pioneer football for more than three decades, and his 2026 Panthers enter the season with the kind of experience coaches like to build around.

Duprey, a Pioneer football staff member since 1993 and the program's head coach since 2002, said the Panthers hope to compete for a division championship in a highly competitive Class B2. Pioneer returns 23 lettermen, nine offensive starters and nine defensive starters, giving the Panthers a veteran foundation on both sides of the ball.

"We have an experienced group led by an outstanding senior class," Duprey said.

Duprey said the offense aims to be multi-faceted and capable of both running and passing. Defensively, he wants the Panthers to play fast and aggressive to the ball. The next step, he said, is learning to play together in adverse situations.

Senior-Led Backfield

Drew George returns at quarterback after starting every game of the 2025 season. George, listed as a Class of 2027 quarterback and defensive back, threw for 361 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior while adding 160 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

The run game has several experienced pieces around him. Isaac Platt, a senior running back and linebacker, is Duprey's breakout player to watch after a productive junior season. Platt ran for 747 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, caught three passes for 53 yards and a touchdown, and added 43 tackles with two interceptions.

Cole Schlueter also returns as a senior running back and linebacker after rushing for 346 yards and three touchdowns in 2025. Carson Matyjasik, another senior in the backfield and secondary, added 468 rushing yards, 114 receiving yards and 25 tackles last season.

Cooper Rhodus gives Pioneer another senior presence at tight end and linebacker. Rhodus caught seven passes for 119 yards and four touchdowns in 2025, and he also recorded 32 tackles. Ryker Waite, listed at fullback and linebacker, had 48 tackles, six tackles for loss and a sack last season.

Line And Defense

Duprey pointed to senior Mike Hitchcock as a key anchor on the offensive and defensive lines. Hitchcock is listed as an offensive and defensive lineman, and his 2025 defensive production included 23 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.

Brock Youngs is the new contributor Duprey highlighted entering the season. Youngs, a Class of 2028 offensive and defensive lineman, had 28 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery in 2025.

Those front-line pieces fit the defensive identity Duprey described: fast, aggressive and built around getting to the ball. Pioneer also returns leadership throughout the defense, with George, Rhodus, Waite, Matyjasik, Schlueter and Platt listed as captains or primary team leaders.

Connor Fleischman is the special-teams player Duprey named as someone who could make a difference. Fleischman is listed as a senior kicker.

Schedule Landmarks

Pioneer opens the season Sept. 4 at Olean before returning home Sept. 11 against Dunkirk at Pioneer Memorial Stadium.

The Panthers stay home for three more games after that: Starpoint on Sept. 17, Lackawanna on Sept. 25 and East Aurora/Holland on Oct. 2. Pioneer then travels to Iroquois on Oct. 8, hosts Depew on Oct. 16 and closes the listed regular-season schedule Oct. 23 at Cheektowaga.

Duprey listed Pioneer's goals as a division championship, a Section VI Class B playoff spot and a chance to compete for the Class B sectional title. With an experienced senior class, a returning quarterback and production back across the offense and defense, the Panthers have a clear group to lead that chase.