Jen Lobasso knows it takes as much grit as it does skill to be successful in any sport.

Fortunately for Lobasso, her Lehighton girls wrestling squad has plenty of both.

The Indians flexed their muscle and gritted their teeth Friday at Tamaqua’s Blue Raider Invitational. They finished with seven individual champions, and walked away first in the team standings.

It was a performance that showcased the type of effort Lobasso expects from her team.

“It’s amazing. I think the hardest job as a coach is to get kids to buy in. To buy in to your system, to buy in to your belief,” said Lobasso. “And they have. They understand what the expectations are, and that we want to be the team that’s gritty. We want to be that team that has that grit left when nobody else does.”

Charlotte Griffiths (100), Claudia Pagotto (118), Lillian Klotz (124), Samantha Kauffman (130), Addison Streubel (148), Cassidy Litts (155) and Abigayle Tower (235) all left with gold for Lehighton, which placed first in the team standings with 166 points to top runner-up Catasauqua (131.5).

Tamaqua’s Kiely Kunkel (112) and Shayla Clay (190) also claimed individual titles. The Blue Raiders were fourth in the team standings with 36 points.

Klotz stormed to the 124-pound title with three pins. In the final, she trailed Catasauqua’s Arianna Stallworth 15-11 in the third period before getting the fall in 4:33.

“I was just thinking it’s still anyone’s match, I’m still in this,” said Klotz. “I just believed that I could still get the pin. I was just looking for cradles, halves and if they’re hanging their head, to get a headlock. I’m a lot more comfortable and confident and comfortable with those moves than some of the others I could get.”

In her second year of wrestling, Klotz is one of many to flourish with the Indians’ emerging program.

“We just have more girls, and it helps to have more girls in your weight class,” said Klotz. “We have great coaches, and a dietitian who are really helping us to be better wrestlers.”

Klotz also rallied in the semifinals, trailing Tamaqua’s Jalissa Correa 13-12 before getting the pin in 5:58.

Pagotto had pins in all four of her matches. In her second match against eventual runner-up Haley Cedeno of Catasauqua, Pagotto trailed 5-3 before getting the fall in 4:19.

“I’ve really improved in the top position, and shooting. I’ve been working on that too a lot. I feel a lot more confident compared to last year,” said Pagotto. “I also feel really confident throwing in a bar if I’m on top, much more than last year.

“It’s just been great this season. Last year we had five girls and having such a big team this season and seeing them grow so much, like my teammate (Kyelie Conrath) I wrestled her today and I could tell how much she improved just by wrestling her in that match.”

Streubel posted three pins to place first at 148 pounds, and is another wrestler who has continued to make big strides this season.

“I’ve really been working on the moves this year, more so than last year,” said Streubel. “I feel like this year I feel better with doing some different things. And we just have so much support.”

Litts has returned after a serious neck injury ended her season early last winter. She has shown the tremendous toughness to return even stronger this season.

On Friday, Litts registered a pin in her first match before winning a wild back-and-forth contest with Hamburg’s Daisy Nemes, 12-11. Litts pinned Columbia Montour Vo-Tech’s Amira Wood in 1:59 to finish the day 3-0.

“I felt today I did pretty good,” said Litts, who was also the goalie on the girls soccer team. “I’m really happy with how I did. From last year I would watch videos. I realized I have learned a lot. I have been beating girls that I would never beat last year. So it’s really exciting.

“It’s so exciting to also see my teammates doing well. Every time I look, they’re getting their hand raised. I love it.”

Kauffman, a first-year wrestler, has embraced the sport and the challenge. The freshman had four pins Friday to cap a perfect 4-0 day.

“It was such a good experience and shows how much progress we’ve made and how much we can still make,” said Kauffman. “I’ve really improved a lot. A first I wasn’t able to do takedowns or anything. But you always have to be confident in yourself.”

Griffiths and Tower were the only wrestlers in their respective brackets.

Kunkel registered a pair of pins in her two matches to secure first place.

“They were both tough matches of course,” said Kunkel. “Facing a teammate first (Addison Trunk) is always hard because you know exactly what you have to do against each other. The second match (Lehighton’s Mia Hall) I wrestled her before but this one was a lot harder because she got a lot stronger. Overall they were good matches.”

Being able to experience a wrestling tournament in her home gym is something Kunkel, who has been wrestling for almost 10 years, will always savor.

“It’s amazing. It’s awesome to see all the girls come out and support each other and be good friends overall,” said Kunkel. “I’m happy with the way I’m wrestling, but you can always get better. I just have to work a little harder and hopefully improve by the end of the year.”

MEDALS ... Hall was second at 112 pounds, while Trunk was third; Lehighton’s Kyelie Conrath was third at 118 pounds; Tamaqua’s Jalissa Correa was third at 124 pounds; Lehighton’s Kennedy Quinn was second at 136 pounds; Lehighton’s Caeley Hinkson was third at 142 pounds; Lehighton’s Blayr Strawser was second at 148 pounds.

WRESTLEMANIA ... Tamaqua will also be hosting a 14-team dual tournament Saturday, which also includes Jim Thorpe and Lehighton. Action begins at 9 a.m.