AMSTERDAM — As the Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth boys’ lacrosse team went through its preseason paces, head coach Jim Natole could sense that the product he puts on the field will be a step up from last year.
They didn’t get a chance to show off that progress in Tuesday’s season opener with Schuylerville, though, with a roster depleted by spring vacation and injuries taking on a full-strength Foothills Council foe that made a run at the league title in 2023 before winning its fourth Section 2 Class D championship in five seasons.
Talk about a difficult debut.
“We were missing some key defenders and some offensive pieces, too,” Natole said after a 22-2 homefield setback at Wilbur H. Lynch Literacy Academy. “Our offense is the best it’s looked in some time when we have all of our guys. We’re young on the offensive side, but light years better than last year.”
While Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth was missing a half dozen players, including one of its best midfielders in senior Nick Santiago, another middle supplied both goals when Jack Samek tallied unassisted in the third and fourth quarters. That first goal by the junior halted a 19-0 run by the Black Horses, who were also playing their first game of the spring.
“Jack has grown a lot from last season. He was a little timid, and it’s great to see him progress as a player,” Natole said. “We’ll rely on him to step up at midfield and be the leader we want him to be.”
Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth junior goalkeeper Hunter Morley made 10 saves behind a patchwork defensive unit that was missing four-year varsity participants Tyler Osterhout and Chris Tilley. Osterhout was tabbed a first team Foothills Council all-star after an outstanding junior campaign that included 97 ground balls.
“Our communication [at the defensive end] was not a strong point today,” Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth junior defender Cooper Young said. “Our slides weren’t so great, either.”
Schuylerville took advantage of those open spaces with its experienced offensive cast, while its defense was strong when Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth put together its few scoring bids.
“There were some first-game jitters,” Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth junior defender Josh Motyuka said. “We had some guys in there who had never played before.”
Coming off a five-win 2023 season, Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth will play again Thursday when it hosts Hudson Falls.
“Every day we want to get better and become more of a team,” Natole said. “We’ll get there. We have a lot of talent.”
Landen Cumm had six goals and an assist for Schuylerville, Ollie Bolduc collected five goals and four assists, Hudson Peck notched four goals, and Luke Abrami totaled a goal and four assists.
Cumm scored five goals in the first quarter when the Black Horses opened up an 11-0 advantage..
“They’ve got an incredible program,” Natole said of Schuylerville. “One of the best in Section 2. They’re coached well. They play well.”
Schuylerville 11 6 3 2 — 22
Amsterdam/BP 0 0 1 1 — 2
Schuylerville scoring: Bolduc 5-4, Abrami 1-4, B. Cumm 2-0, L. Cumm 6-1, Cox 1-0, Peck 4-0, C. Harrison 0-2, DeLisle 2-0, Barrett 1-0. Amsterdam/BP scoring: Samek 2-0. Goalkeepers: Schuylerville, A. Harrison, 3 saves; Nastarie, 2 saves; Amsterdam/BP, Morley, 10 saves.