The Lehighton girls weren’t about to get caught looking ahead.

With a potential showdown against unbeaten Blue Mountain looming in the final meet of the regular season next week, the Indians first had to take care of business against an equally talented ­— and perhaps upset-minded — Tamaqua squad.

The Tribe did just that, keeping their perfect record intact to set up a showdown for the Schuylkill League Division 1 girls title with an 88.67-61.33 victory over the Raiders on Tuesday. The Eagles, idle this week, are currently 4-0.

“You always have goals for them, and as soon as they break a goal, you’ve got a new one,” said Lehighton assistant coach Darren Frehulfer. “No matter what the results are in a meet like today’s, you still have Blue Mountain next week, who is an insanely talented team. And as soon as you’re done with this meet, you start training for the next one.”

The Lehighton program has been here before ­— and not too long ago. The Indians controlled their own destiny in 2017, and put a stamp on their undefeated season with a win over Pottsville to claim the Division 1 title.

“We are having a great season, and are out grinding the ugly points and the dirty points, which is kind of a thing as a track coach you look for the most,” said Frehulfer. “You’re always going to have a couple of horses that get a bunch of points, but the points that really make you proud are when you get the kids who get those unexpected seconds or thirds, and really grind it out.”

The Indians (5-0) swept the top three spots in the long and triple jump to earn nine points in both events. Lehighton also took the top two spots in five other events.

Kaia Slaw posted wins in the long jump (16-11), triple jump (35-1) and high jump (4-8).

“It’s really cool, because I get to help my team,” said the junior. “We were undefeated and league champions my freshman year, and we’re hoping to recreate that.”

A state qualifier in the triple jump a season ago, Slaw is eager to return to Shippensburg again on Memorial Day weekend.

“It’s been a lot of pressure to try to get back to where I was last year, but I think that that’s been helping to push me,” said Slaw, who was also on the winning 1600 relay team. “It definitely motivates me, and I think that I’ve been pushing myself, and trying to push the team as well.”

Freshman Brittney Bartasavage swept the 100 (16.8) and 300 (51.8) hurdles for the Indians, posting personal bests in both events.

“The 300s, I only did twice,” said Bartasavage. “It was my first time doing them (this season), so the 100 (hurdles) I’m definitely focused on more.

“By the end of the year, I would say I want to get at least a 16.5 in the 100 (hurdles).”

Tamaqua head coach Tom Kanger knows his squad, which is now 2-2, will only benefit from seeing the type of competiion Lehighton offers.

“They have a good girls team, and they’re really spread out with the hurdles, with the throws,” said Kanger. “We come in with a pretty strong distance team, but they offset it. So we kind of go back and forth, and I think we make each other’s teams better. We’re perfect matchups for each other.”

In the boys’ meet, the Raiders pulled out an 80-70 win over the Indians.

Barron Stauffenberg won the long jump (21-6) and triple jump (42-9½) for Tamaqua (2-2), while Matthew Amodea posted wins in the shot put (43-4½) and discus (130-9½).

Lehighton’s (1-4) Tahmir Spencer won a showdown of two of the top sprinters in the area. Spencer posted an 11.3 to edge the Raiders Matt Kistler (11.7), and ran a 23.7 in the 200 to again best Kistler (23.9). Kistler was fourth (11.29) in the 100 at the Blue Raider Invite this past Friday, while Spencer was seventh (11.38).

“The pressure is definitely there,” said Spencer. “But it also brings momentum. It lets me know that I’m capable of getting back there. I just have to work harder, because there is greater competition.”

Spencer, who was third in the Class 2A 200 at last year’s PIAA Championships, also won the high jump, clearing 5-8.

WHAT’S AHEAD

... While Lehighton will close out its regular season next week against Blue Mountain, the Eagles are set to wrapup their campaign on April 29 at Jim Thorpe. The Indians’ have a bye on the final week of the season.

HONORED

... Lehighton recognized its senior track and field athletes prior to the start of the meet, the final home contest of the season.

BOYS

Tamaqua 80, Lehighton 70

100 - 1.Tahmir Spencer (L) 11.3, 2. Matthew Kistler (T), 3. John Franko (T) and Jake Barron (T); 200 - 1. Tahmir Spencer (L) 23.7, 2. Matthew Kistler (T), 3. Daniel Sharp (L); 400 - 1. Jake Barron (T) 1:00.5, 2. Drew Lorenz (L), 3. Logan Dibert (T); 800 - 1. Chris Osenbach (T) 2:22.7, 2. Richard Yturrino (L), 3. Alex Schwab (L); 1600 - 1. Ben Mathisen (L) 5:05.35, 2. Brandon Fogarty (T), 3. Evan Beers (L); 3200 - 1. Evan Beers (L) 12:11.5, 2, Mitchell Nailor (L), 3. Bryan DePaz (L); 110H - 1. Nicholas DiMarco (T) 16.5, 2. Zeno Zukovich (T), 3. Noel Ortiz (L); 300H - 1. Zeno Zukovich (T) 44.8, 2. Ben Mathisen (L), 3. Nicholas DiMarco (T); 400 relay - Lehighton 46.1; 1600 relay - Lehighton 4:00.3; 3200 relay - Tamaqua 9:29.3; Shot put - 1. Matthew Amodea (T) 43-4 1/2, 2. Dakota Hiester (L), 3. Toby Berg (T); Discus - 1. Matthew Amodea (T) 130-9 1/2, 2. Nathaniel Noftz (T), 3. Tyler Disbrow (T); Javelin - 1. Ben Schatz (L) 135-7, 2. Alexander Barron (T), 3. Nathan Hope (T); Long jump - 1. Barron Stauffenberg (T) 21-6, 2. Isaiah Wetzel (L), 3. Michael Shlanta (T); Triple jump - 1. Barron Stauffenberg (T) 42-9 1/2, 2. Isaiah Wetzel (L), 3. John Franko (T); High jump - 1. Tahmir Spencer (L) 5-8, 2. Jayvon McDowell (L), 3. Evan Deem (L); Pole vault

- 1. Khalid Holland (T) 11-6, 1. Pierce Demetriades (T) 11-6, 2. Cole Ackerman (T).

GIRLS

Lehighton 88 2/3, Tamaqua 61 1/3

100 - 1. Caitlin Smith (T) 13.7, 2. Kayla Sherry (T), 3. Tressa Barron (T); 200 - 1. Karissa Hough (L) 29.1, 2. Kira Hartman (L), 3. Tressa Barron (T); 400 - 1. April Gerber (T) 1:06.4, 2. Kayla Sherry (T), 3. Tinaya Klotz (L); 800 - 1. Brianna Dumond (T) 2:50.9, 2. Grace Stegemerten (T), 3. Amanda Mathisen (L); 1600 - 1. Sarah Maue (T) 5:50.3, 2. Grace Stegemerten (T), 3. Kelsey Gaston (L); 3200 - 1. Kelsey Gaston (L) 13:43.1, 2. Alyssa Williams (L), 3. Sarah Maue (T); 100H - 1. Brittney Bartasavage (L) 16.8, 2. Kira Hartman (L), 3. Ashley Jones (T); 300H - 1. Brittney Bartasavage (L) 51.8, 2. Molly Murphy (T), 3. Ashley Jones (T); 400 relay - Tamaqua 54.9; 1600 relay - Lehighton 4:44.8; 3200 relay - Tamaqua 11:09.5; Shot put - 1. Emily Titus (T) 30-5 1/2, 2. Isabelle Meckes (L), 3. Abigail Meckes (L); Discus - 1. Isabelle Meckes (L) 111-8, 2. Abigail Meckes (L), 3. Brynn Gigli (T); Javelin - 1. Emily Miller (L) 102-9, 2. Emily Titus (T), 3. Jennifer Wensel (L); Long jump - 1. Kaia Slaw (L) 16-11, 2. Isabella Baka (L), 3. Ashley Beers (L); Triple jump - 1. Kaia Slaw (L) 35-1, 2. Megan Aaron (L), 3. Abigail Buffington (L); High jump - 1. Kaia Slaw (L) 4-8, 2. Gracie Williams, Emily Gulich (L) and Alexa Stianche (T); Pole vault

- 1. Isabella Baka (L) 9-0, 2. Sarah Laible (L), 3. Sophia Boyle (T).