Catasauqua head coach Eric Snyder has tucked away any remnants from his team’s 0-22 campaign last season. The only way to go is up, and the Rough Riders appeared to be headed that way.

Instead, it is about turning a new page at Catty, where youth can build a solid foundation, especially in the backcourt, as he begins his 31st season at the help of the Roughies’ program and his 41st in the game overall.

Snyder will look to freshmen Frankie Pujols and Hamaad Jenkins to mature along the way. However, the Roughies suffered a temporary blow when Pujols recently broke one of his big toes, and he will be sidelined for approximately eight weeks.

“He had a great summer for us,” said Snyder of Pujols. “This was a tough one to take because we expect a lot from him this season. He can score and sees the floor well. He could run the point for us because he plays with a lot of confidence for a young player.”

With Pujols’s injury, Jenkins will handle the point guard duties.

“He has the mentality of a point guard,” said Snyder about Jenkins. “He looks very good with the ball. We were headed to a three-headed point guard, but he will do it for us.”

Seniors Cedric Bright, Bryann Rivera, Irving Torres, and Joe Fischl bring experience back into the lineup,

Juniors John Pushkar, Ian Juica, and Peter LaPointe along with sophomore Jeremiah Cofie all saw meaningful minutes last year to round out the lineup.

Overall, Snyder has liked what he has seen.

“It has been a pleasure to coach them,” he said. “I believe they can do well. We tried a lot of things last year. This group communicates well together, and they remember things.

“We believe we can run the floor and mix things up on defense. This group is young and they work hard. We have some talent this year.”

Catty opened its season Tuesday night at Salisbury, after Press deadlines, and the Roughs then hosted Northern Lehigh Thursday. They will conclude the week with a Saturday matinee at Panther Valley.

It will be a busy December as the Roughies will play eight games before January.

“I don’t like us playing all of these games in a month,” said Snyder. “It is a lot on the kids, and they can get sick.

“But we’ll have a good read on where we are for the rest of the season. I’m optimistic that we can make some things happen this year.”