Transitioning into a new league can sometimes be a challenge.

However, the Lehighton boys basketball team appears to have made a comfortable move to the Colonial League early this season.

The Indians improved to 3-1 in the CL Wednesday with a dominating 76-41 victory over visiting Pen Argyl.

Lehighton started the game with a jump in its step as it opened up an early 16-4 lead — capped off by a 10-0 run. Eight of those points came from junior Cole Dietz, and the home team finished the first quarter with a 24-11 lead. Dietz ended the quarter with 15 points.

The Green Knights responded in the second period as the Indians were less aggressive and struggled defensively. A 10-3 Pen Argyl run, with eight of those points coming from junior Mason Soos, cut Lehighton’s lead to as little as nine until the Indians restored their double-digit advantage at 35-21 going into halftime.

Lehighton head coach Trevor Miller was vocal toward his team about its second-quarter performance.

“I thought in the first quarter we did a nice job of getting out in transition, and then we kind of took our foot off the gas a little bit,” Miller said. “I thought defensively we had some breakdowns. Give credit to Pen Argyl, they knocked down some shots.”

Miller’s message at halftime appeared to work as the Indians dominated the third frame 25-8. Lehighton had four straight three-pointers during a 16-0 run, and applied a more aggressive defense that Pen Argyl couldn’t overcome.

Mason Soos led the Green Knights with 20 points, but only seven came in the second half as Indians senior Brayden Johnson matched up against Soos defensively.

“Our focus was really to get more aggressive on the defensive end,” Miller said. “We made some switches. We changed some personnel on who was guarding who. And at the start of that third quarter, I thought you could kind of see us pick that defensive pressure up.

“And that defensive pressure led to us being able to get out and get some easy buckets.”

Lehighton capped it off with nine points in the fourth quarter from senior Joe Roth en route to the 35-point win. Roth led the Indians with a double-double, scoring 21 points and adding 10 rebounds, while Cole Dietz contributed 20 points and six boards.

“I think in the first half I played a little rusty, but the second-half (our) team played a lot better, and we just had the intensity coming out in the second half to come out here to win,” said Roth.

“Coach Miller is just emphasizing the defense a lot,” added Dietz. “We came out in the third quarter, got some stops, really rebounded well and then that’s what led to our run.”

While it still may be early in the season, coach Miller is already pleased with how his team’s transition into the Colonial League has been, and looks forward to future league matchups.

“The teams have a little bit of a different style,” he said about the Colonial League. “It’s a little more freedom of movement as opposed to the Schuylkill League, where it’s all physicality and getting up in your face. I think that’s one of the biggest differences for us.

“We’re more of a fit here in the Colonial League. Some of these natural rivalries, and a lot of the teams that we played in our non league schedule are now in our league, so we’re excited about that.”

NEW LEAGUE, NEW SUCCESS … Lehighton’s other two Colonial League victories this season came against Palmerton (65-62) and Wilson (52-46).

LEHIGHTON

White 0-0-0-0, Solt 4-0-0-11, Light 4-0-0-12, Fairchild 0-0-0-0, Johnson 3-2-2-9, Blair 1-0-0-3, Roth 7-6-9-21, Dietz 8-1-2-20. TOTALS: 27-9-13-76.

PEN ARGYL

Hunter 1-0-0-2, Martini 1-0-0-2, Vishnesky 3-0-0-8, Kuster 0-2-2-2, Soos 8-2-4-20, Kotulka 1-0-0-2, Hendershot 2-0-0-3, Stucky 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 16-4-6-41.

Pen Argyl 11 10 8 12 - 41

Lehighton 24 11 25 16 - 76

Three-Pointers: Lehighton - Light 4, Solt 3, Dietz 3, Johnson 1, Roth 1, Blair 1; Pen Argyl - Soos 2, Vishnesky 2, Hendershot 1.

Records: Lehighton (5-1; 3-1 CL); Pen Argyl (0-5; 0-4 CL).