2026 Section VI Class B Football Playoff Preview

WNYAthletics | Road to the Section VI Championship

The Section VI Class B football playoffs may be the most anticipated class playoffs in Western New York. This class has been a beautifully chaotic experience throughout the regular season that finds the gap from team one to team eight to be thin. 

In B1, West Seneca East has grounded and pounded their way to a one seed and will take on the Lackawanna Steelers. The top seed in B2 goes to a physical Pioneer team that will host Maryvale while Depew and McKinley lock horns. Finally, the OC Rivals (Medina/Albion) will take on the Iroquois Redhawks after OC earned the two seed of McKinley last week. 

First-Round Matchups

B1 No. 1 West Seneca East vs. B2 No. 4 Lackawanna

The first matchup sees a rematch of last season’s Class B Championship at Old Highmark Stadium. 

Lackawanna finds themselves in the playoff picture after their convincing win-and-in over Olean last week. When the Steelers play a clean and cohesive game, they can put together a good brand of football. However, they will certainly have their hands full with a heavy run game from the Trojans. 

This game gives the Steelers a chance to play spoiler as four of their five losses this season came against playoff teams. Unlike last year’s matchup between these two, East will have Josh Urban available for this game, who leads Section VI in rushing touchdowns, with an impressive 29, as he is also second in the state in total TD’s.

For the Trojans, their lone blemish is a loss to a very good McKinley squad, (this is going to be a theme in Class B, these top teams kept beating each other up the entire season).

Keys to Victory: Lackawanna is going to have to put together the best game of their season, and stop the run. For East, if you take care of the football and play fundamentally sound, this game plays in your favor. 

Players to Watch: 

For Lackawanna, WR Kobey Underwood has big-play abilities and the Steelers are going to need some explosive plays to steal momentum in this game. For West Seneca East, it's the Josh Urban show. There have been just two other backs that have more carries than him, and so everyone and their mother knows who is toting the rock.

Outlook:

West Seneca West should keep things simple and play their game, do not try to do too much and again, the matchup plays in your favor. 

B2 No. 2 Depew vs. B1 No. 3 McKinley

Now this matchup is intriguing. Through the first six games, Depew looked to be a wagon. However, the last couple weeks have taken a bit of the wind out of their sails heading into playoffs. Week seven saw a Depew vs Pioneer game for the top seed in Class B2 and Pioneer set the tone and they continue to be the measuring stick. Although they are coming off of back-to-back losses this Depew team is still a very good squad and the defense can flip a game in a hurry. 

As for McKinley, a lot of folks have said that Williamsville South showed the “recipe” of how to beat the Macks. While the game plan was great from the Billies, they also matched up well against the Macks, pound-for-pound and I believe the Macks do not get enough credit for their game. 

Keys to Victory: McKinley needs to utilize their aggressive defensive line and prevent Depew’s Zach Bridenbaker from getting going before he hits second-gear at the second level of the defense. For Depew, if they can take away the football at the rate they have this season, they will find themselves with extra possessions that can help keep the ball away from the Macks offense. 

Players to Watch: Rather than individuals, my players to watch for this game are going to be the defenses. Let’s chat about Depew’s entire defense. This unit has scored 10 touchdowns this season. Yes. Go back and read that again. 10. Touchdowns. The next closest in Section VI is five from the OC Rivals. While Zach Bridenbaker is certainly a top-five back in WNY, the defense of the Wildcats has been equally as important to their success this season. On the other side, McKinley’s defensive front is an absolute WEAPON. Their 55.5 sacks leads all teams in Section VI and it isn’t even close. Kamron Minter put WNY on notice last season with a 20-sack campaign, and has continued to be one of the best pass rushers the region has ever seen with 17.5 more this year.

Outlook: 

This could be a really fun matchup, especially if you’re a fan of aggressive defenses that can take over a game on their own. 

B2 No. 1 Pioneer vs. B1 No. 4 Maryvale

This is a playoff matchup that Pioneer has had the upper hand in the last handful of years, being the third time the Panthers and Flyers have locked horns since 2022. Since the Nick Todaro era began at Maryvale in 2021, Pioneer has ended their season twice in the playoffs and come into 2026 as the favorite again. 

Pioneer has clocked in, clocked out, and dominated Class B all season long. This defense has allowed multiple touchdowns in just three of their eight games played this season, with five wins rattled off in a row. This game pins up two run-friendly offenses that will make field position and conversion rate paramount for setting up and continuing drives. For the Flyers, they have a three-headed monster that can keep them fresh against a stout defense. 

Keys to Victory: For Maryvale, they need to be creative and disciplined offensively. They will have to keep the Pioneer defense in the rocking chair to try to flank this stubborn defense. For the Panthers, if they can win the fight in the phonebooth, it’s their game to win. If they can keep the game tight on the scoreboard, they have the upperhand. 

Players to Watch: Pioneer: Isaac Platt is one of the top backs in WNY while also being the team’s top tackler. Playoffs demand that dude’s show up and be dude’s, and Platt is a dude. For Maryvale, the combination of Carter Woods and Dom Daly are going to have to keep each other fresh in the backfield to try to pierce the armor of the Panthers’ defense. 

Outlook:

You have to give Pioneer the upper hand in this game because they have shown time and time again this season that they are the standard in Class B. 

B1 No. 2 OC Rivals (Medina/Albion) vs. B2 No. 3 Iroquois

The Orleans County Rivals put together an impressive win at home against McKinley to earn another game in the county seat. The Rivals bring a balanced offensive attack that can hurt a team in multiple ways. 

This Iroquois squad has quietly put together a consistent season and even their losses in the division were close, and with a bit of time to iron out any wrinkles, the Redhawks can be a difficult opponent. With their three losses coming against Maryvale, Depew and Pioneer, this is another top matchup for Iroquois that they hope to see go their way. 

Keys to Victory: OC needs to take care of the football. There have been times where their pass game has been a bit of gunslinging style, which has put them in trouble at times. After another three interceptions last week, the Rivals seem to make life more difficult for themselves at times. For Iroquois, it’s going to be a bit of the same. Pressure on the quarterback can cause turnovers and will give the Redhawks a better opportunity to take hold of the game, against an opponent that has a defense that can also cause mistakes.

Players to Watch: Iroquois: George Issa & Logan Nolan. Issa has put his name in the conversation of great quarterback play at Iroquois and he has done his job taking care of the football while also racking up over 1,000 passing yards. Logan Nolan is second in the section with six interceptions this season and if he can snag another down, it would give the

Redhawks some much needed momentum. For OC, it has to be Elijah Doxey. His explosiveness jumps off of the charts with over 1,100 yards from scrimmage. Sprinkle in a TD pass from last week, and he is the true straw that stirs their offensive drink. 

Outlook: OC is a team that may give it away at times, but can also take it away just as quick with their defense. As cliche as it may be, on paper, this game will be decided in the turnover margin.