Sam Clymer made sure of two things when he led the Skaneateles boys soccer team to a 4-2 victory over Christian Brothers Academy in last Tuesday night’s 2015 season opener at Hyatt Stadium.

First, with his three-goal hat trick, Clymer gave the Lakers a precious boost of confidence. Second, he kept the Brothers from sweeping both ends of a soccer twin bill between the two sides.

Earlier that evening, the Skaneateles girls team also met CBA, and hung in there until an outburst early in the second half put the Brothers in control and led to a 4-0 decision.

Of course, the boys Lakers have a lot to live up to – namely, a 2014 season that included a Section III Class B title, the program’s first since 2010, and ended with an appearance in the state Class B final four at Middletown.

Returning to Middletown will require head coach Aaron Moss to replace a large cast of departing seniors that included the likes of Eli Goodell, Max Messie, Billy Patrick, Andrew Weiss, Briggs Carter, Nick Palmer and Francis Lombardi.

A few starters return, though, and Clymer is one of them. Against a CBA side that traditionally contends for sectional honors whichever class they get put in (they lost to Fowler in the AA quarterfinals a year ago), Clymer put on a show.

In the 13th minute, just seconds after sending a strong shot inches over the crossbar, Clymer found the range and put Skaneateles up 1-0. Three minutes later, CBA pulled even, but in the 27th minute Clymer ripped a 30-yard shot into the net, and the Lakers regained the lead.

Ahead 2-1 at the break, the Lakers kept attacking, and Clymer, in the 53rd minute, put home his third goal of the night. That proved the game-winner, for CBA would cut the deficit to 3-2 before Tristan Custer clinched it by netting a goal with 15:48 left off a strong throw from the left side.

Luke Palmer earned a pair of assists for the Lakers, while Graham McCarthy also had an assist. Matt DePerro assisted on both of CBA’s goals, one each by Jake Dinger and Nikhil Reddy, but nothing more got past Sam Smith, the new Skaneateles keeper, who had five saves.

The girls game between the Lakers and Brothers had plenty of suspense early. All through the first half, CBA applied pressure, and the Skaneateles defense resisted it, keeping the game 0-0, where it stood at the break, in large measure due to terrific work in goal by Mae McGlynn, who would finish the night with 12 saves.

Then Kate LaCasse fired a shot past McGlynn 4:32 into the second half to put the Brothers in front, and it was 2-0 less than four minutes later. Another goal in the 56th minute made it 3-0, and Skaneateles never recovered from that outburst, LaCasse finishing with a pair of tallies as Jess Slack added one goal and one assist. Claire Jeschke also found the net.

Skaneateles would recover from this, though, and earn its first win of the season Thursday night, defeating Homer 2-1. A trip to Fayetteville-Manlius would follow on Saturday, followed by home games against Cazenovia and East Syracuse Minoa next week.