Evenly matched and similarly skilled.

There wasn’t much to separate the Tamaqua and Jim Thorpe girls heading into Monday’s Schuylkill League meet.

Both programs were still on even terms afterward, as the Tamaqua and Jim Thorpe girls finished tied 75-75.

But the Blue Raiders prevailed on the first criteria with more first-place finishes with 10 to the Olympians’ seven to secure the victory.

Each squad topped North Schuylkill. Tamaqua posted a 108-42 win over the Spartans, while Jim Thorpe picked up a 91-53 victory.

In the boys meet, Tamaqua picked up an 80.5-69.49 win over Jim Thorpe. Each side fell to North Schuylkill. The Spartans topped the Raiders 79-69, and posted an 82-67.99 win over the Olympians.

Samantha Plasha, Sarah Coccio and Katelynn Fredericks each posted multiple wins for the Raiders.

Plasha always knew she could run fast. And the Tamaqua junior was sure she could jump far.

Plasha’s passion - and ability - to do both made pole vault a perfect fit.

Still a relative newcomer to the event, Plasha has already reached great heights, something that continued during Monday’s Schuylkill League meet against Jim Thorpe and North Schuylkill.

Plasha cleared a personal best 9-6 in the pole vault, while also setting a PR in the long jump with a leap of 16-7 to win both events.

“The 100 used to be my main event, but then last year I picked this (pole vault) up, and I haven’t even been doing it a year yet, but this is now my main event,” Plasha said. “I still really like long jump.

“I tried pole vault at the end of the season last year, and it just looked really fun. Today was exciting to get 9-6.”

And Plasha is pretty good at it.

Plasha topped a previous best of 9-0 Monday, and previously best around 7-6 at the end of last season.

“I think my speed really helps with the run-through,” said Plasha. “I still have to work on my invert. I have gotten more comfortable going back farther on the pole. I’ve been better with that, and it’s helped go even higher.”

Plasha was also on the winning 400 relay team with Cecilia Ulicny, Fredericks and Lucia DeMarco. The squad had a time of 52.34.

Fredericks continued her stellar campaign, winning both the 100 hurdles and 300s in 17.18 and 51.36, respectively.

“I feel like I’ve really picked up where I left off last season,” said Fredericks. “It gives me more confidence. I’ve been working in the offseason and really doing more practices to get better. It just feels better.”

Fredericks admitted she doesn’t prefer one event to the other. But she wants to be her best at both.

“I’ve been working hard on the 300s because it just requires a lot more stamina,” said Fredericks. “I just want to make sure I’m able to keep up my pace and everything. And there’s always a lot of competition in the 100s. So I really don’t have a favorite.”

Coccio sprinted to a victory in the 100 with a time of 13.85, and won the high jump, clearing 4-10. Alexis Buchala also won the 3200 (13:24.01) and was second in the 1600 for the Raiders, while Madelyn Schaefer won the 800 (2:32.94).

Leah Wasko won the triple jump with a leap of 34-7.5, and placed second in the 100 hurdles and long jump for the Olympians.

“For long and triple jump, I think I’m in a good spot,” said Wasko. “For hurdles, I really need to push myself a lot more. I just need to work a lot harder in practice and get my confidence up.”

Wasko was able to PR in the triple jump, topping her previous mark of 34-0.25.

“I used to be a dancer, so I really have the rhythm down,” Wasko said of the triple jump. “I definitely feel like it’s easier for me than long jump. And I’ve been improving a lot more with it than long jump.”

Aubrey Holland posted a win in the discus for the Olympians with a throw of 78-4, and was second in the shot put.

“For discus I honestly felt really good. But for shot put, it just wasn’t where I want it to be,” said Holland. “I still have time to improve and get better.”

Holland has her sights set on better marks in both, especially shot put, where her best mark is 31-4.5 this year.

“I feel like I’m more explosive and I have the strength for it,” Holland said of the shot put. “Last year, I had a really high peak of almost 32 feet. This year, I’m kind of getting closer and closer. But it’s still midseason.”

Aubrey Bonner won the 400 (1:03.24) and placed second in the 200 for the Olympians, while Iyanah Graves-Sockwell picked up a win in the 200 (28.87) and was second in the 100. Stacy Bos won the 1600 (5:54.53) and was second in the 800, while Vanessa Sadler won the shot put (28-7.5).

Tamaqua’s Stephen Kieffer (400, 52.48), Levi Kunkel (1600, 4:52.30), Martin Griffin (triple jump, 43-7.25), Jesse Gormley (800, 2:07.33) and Anthony Marchetti (3200, 10:52.03) all picked up victories.

Kieffer, who topped his previous best of 52.55 in the 400 and was second in the 200, was also on the winning 400 relay team with Gormley, Jathan Krall and Jacob Hehn, who crossed the line in 3:40.85.

“At the beginning of the season, I had around a 55.0, and I’ve just been able to keep dropping time,” Kieffer said of the 400. “Today wasn’t as good ... but I should be able to drop more time as we get to invitationals and things like that.

“My base-building at the beginning of the season really helps me. My coach had me do a lot of longer distance training and then we slowly moved into speed training, and that’s helped to have the endurance and speed for it.”

Marchetti was also second in the 1600.

Jim Thorpe’s Ehren Hassler cleared 10-0 to win the pole vault.

BOYS

N. Schuylkill 79, Tamaqua 69

Tamaqua 80.5, J. Thorpe 69.49

N. Schuylkill 82, J. Thorpe 67.99

100 - 1. Joey Flail (NS) 11.38, 2. Luke Miller (NS), 3. Joshua Louk (JT); 200 - 1. Joey Flail (NS) 23.32, 2. Stephen Kieffer (T), 3. Kayden Spence (JT); 400 - 1. Stephen Kieffer (T) 52.48, 2. Henry Snyder (JT), 3. Mike Mogish (NS); 800 - 1. Jesse Gormley (T) 2:07.33, 2. Jathan Krall (T), 3. Adam Schock (T); 1600 - 1. Levi Kunkel (T) 4:52.30, 2. Anthony Marchetti (T), 3. Adam Schock (T); 3200 - 1. Anthony Marchetti (T) 10:52.03, 2. Brian Heim (T), 3. Brody Boyce (T); 110H - 1. Zackary Wehry (NS) 17.82, 2. Justin Yescavage (JT), 3. Connor Zurwawa (JT); 300H - 1. Zackary Wehry (NS) 44.4, 2. Justin Yescavage (JT). 3. Connor Zurwawa (JT); 400 relay - 1. North Schuylkill 44.25; 1600 relay - 1. Tamaqua (Jathan Krall, Jesse Gormley, Jacob Hehn, Stephen Kieffer) 3:40.85; 3200 relay - 1. Tamaqua (Brody Boyce, Yossaf Garcia, Jacob Hehn, Jathan Krall) 9:12.37; Shot put - 1. Aiden Zilker (NS) 44-5, 2. Sander Stokes (NS), 3. Adam Kosciolek (JT); Discus - 1. Aiden Zilker (NS) 140-2, 2. Gavin Strohl (JT), 3. Sander Stokes (NS); Javelin - 1. Brian O’Connor (NS) 148-5.5, 2. Ethan DiBonifazio (T), 3. Larson Hudak (T); Long jump - 1. Tyrone Chambers (NS) 19-7.25, 2. Joshua Louk (JT), 3. Brady Welker (NS); Triple jump - 1. Martin Griffin (T) 43-7.25, 2. Tyrone Chambers (NS), 3. Cole Lazorick (JT); High jump - 1. Tyrone Chambers (NS) 6-3, 2. Martin Griffin (T), 3. Cole Lazorick (JT); Pole vault

- 1. Ehren Hassler (JT) 10-0, 2. Logan Ludwig (NS), 3. Jared Mantilla (JT).

GIRLS

Tamaqua 108, N. Schuylkill 42

Tamaqua 75, Jim Thorpe 75*

Jim Thorpe 91, N. Schuylkill 53

100 - 1. Sarah Coccio (T) 13.85, 2. Iyanah Graves-Sockwell (JT), 3. Siena Stellfox (T); 200 - 1. Iyanah Graves-Sockwell (JT) 28.87, 2. Aubrey Bonner (JT), 3. Molly Frantz (NS); 400 - 1. Aubrey Bonner (JT) 1:03.24, 2. Sophia Wittig (NS), 3. Olivia Rosenberger (JT); 800 - 1. Madelyn Schaefer (T) 2:32.94, 2. Stacy Bos (JT), 3. Ava Jones (T); 1600 - 1. Stacy Bos (JT) 5:54.53, 2. Alexis Buchala (T), 3. Bailey Pliska (T); 3200 - 1. Alexis Buchala (T) 13:24.01, 2. Bailey Pliska (T), 3. Isabella Jones (T); 100H - 1. Katelynn Fredericks (T) 17.18, 2. Leah Wasko (JT), 3. Payton Selby (T); 300H - 1. Katelynn Fredericks (T) 51.36, 2. Olivia Greblick (NS), 3. Kate Urbanowicz (NS); 400 relay - 1. Tamaqua (Cecilia Ulicny, Samantha Plasha, Katelynn Fredericks, Lucia DeMarco) 52.34; 1600 relay - 1. Jim Thorpe 4:32.79; 3200 relay - 1. Tamaqua (Andrea Betz, Mollie Walker, Destiny Steinmetz, Adrianna Geronimo) 12:05.85; Shot put - 1. Vanessa Sadler (JT) 28-7.5, 2. Aubrey Holland (JT), 3. Leah Black (T); Discus - 1. Aubrey Holland (JT) 78-4, 2. Leah Black (T), 3. Amelia Locke (NS); Javelin - 1. Maria Puglia (NS) 126.6.5, 2. Reece Lavelle (NS), 3. Victoria Stehlik (JT); Long jump - 1. Samantha Plasha (T) 16-7, 2. Leah Wasko (JT), 3. Sarah Hope (T); Triple jump - 1. Leah Wasko (JT) 34-7.5, 2. Sarah Hope (T), 3. Cecilia Ulicny (T); High jump - 1. Sarah Coccio (T) 4-10, 2. Laren Powis (NS), 3. Kelsey Patton (JT); Pole vault

- 1. Samantha Plasha (T) 9-6, 2. Olivia Rosenberger (JT), 3. Mackenzie Lavas (NS).

* - Tamaqua won on first criteria, most first-place finishes.