It’s always a luxury when a team has plenty of depth.

Of course, talent doesn’t hurt either.

This season, Lehighton’s track and field teams have both.

The Indians displayed those two qualities on Tuesday by sweeping Northern Lehigh in a Colonial League meet.

The boys captured a 97-53 victory, while the girls triumphed by a 102-47 score to both improve to 2-0.

“This is the largest team we have had in several years,” said Lehighton head coach Erica Pagotto. “And it’s nice because in the past, you might have athletes that have to do all four events, whereas now we have athletes who can specialize in one or two. We still have athletes who might do all four, but it’s nice having the option with that depth and people excelling in different areas. It’s very exciting.

“It’s only the second meet of the season, and we already had a bunch of PRs. So it’s been a beautiful day ... I’m proud of the athletes. Their hard work over the winter is paying off. Here we are, it’s only March and they’re already PRing.”

Joe Roth is one of those Lehighton athletes that continues to compete in four events. And he was successful in every one against the Bulldogs.

Roth, a senior, registered firsts in three individual events — 400, javelin, high jump — and also was a member of the winning 1600 relay.

The Indians also received three individual wins from sophomore Lillian Klotz, who took both hurdling events, as well as the pole vault.

In all, 15 different Lehighton athletes registered firsts, while many others added points with seconds and thirds, proving its depth and talent.

“Joe Roth had a big day,” said Pagotto. “(Senior) Emma Repsher in the javelin, I just entered her in the Penn Relays and we haven’t found out yet if she’s accepted. She was lifting over the winter, and she’s throwing so much farther than last year.

“Lilyana Shapiro is one of the fastest freshman we have had in several years. She’s coming out and winning the 100, the 200, she’s in the 4x4 and just did a 60-flat in the 4x4. That is exciting. She’s very talented, and she’s only a freshman. The 4x4 team broke the middle school record so it’s so neat to have them together, and just watching them all over again and seeing those times drop. This freshmen class is huge. They really are helping to stack our team, and it’s exciting because as freshmen they’re already excelling, getting firsts. So I cannot wait for the next few years.”

Other multiple winners, outside of Roth and Klotz, for Lehighton included Shapiro (100, 200), and seniors Alexandra Feller (triple jump, high jump) and Kyle Kuznicki (800, 1600). Kuznicki also aided the winning 3200 relay squad.

Northern Lehigh also had some multiple winners in Katelynn Barthold (800, 1600) and Chris Frame (100, 200).

The Bulldogs, despite the losses, had plenty of positives to look at during an early-season meet.

“Emma Heil ran a strong two-mile after running a hard mile today, so she ran a 12:28 after running a very competitive mile before that, so that was good,” said Bulldog head coach Michael Lehtonen. “Katelynn Barthold, she kind of started the season right where she left off last year. She ran a 2:20 in the half mile which is right there. Emma, Katelynn, Natalie Moffitt and Makayla Gordon just ran this weekend at the Upper Darby relays ... They ran the 4x8 on Saturday, so they came back well today.

“Landon Klimek had a pretty monster throw for early in the season (146-3 in the discus), so I know he’s got to be excited about that as far as a starting point. He was just one foot off our school record.”

Both coaches admitted the season is so very young, and that there is plenty to look forward to down the road.

“Lehighton has a nice team, so they were really competitive in a lot of events,” said Lehtonen. “Just to be in a dual meet is exciting. Obviously, you’re shooting to improve, while part of today is a little bit more of a workout too. We have our goals for later in the season, but we’re definitely competing and giving a good effort now.”

“At this time of the year you look for growth, consistency, the hard work, keeping everybody healthy because they’re performing so well,” said Pagotto. “Sometimes you can do too much too soon early in the season. You can have injuries, shin splints, so we’re just keeping an eye on that.

“Yes, we’re working hard but we’re also being smart with the recovery, our health, stretching, taking care of our bodies so that we can stretch these wins and PRs throughout the season. That’s a big focus for us. We take a lot of time warming up, stretching, going through all our drills so we want to keep everyone healthy.

NEAR RECORD ... Klimek’s discus throw was just one foot off the school record, which was set in 1984 by Chad Miller.

RULING THE RELAYS ... The Lehighton girls captured all three relays. Shapiro, Taylor Moyer, Cayley Reph and Brielle Frable were each members of two of those teams.

BOYS

Lehighton 97, Northern Lehigh 53

100 - 1. Christopher Frame (NL) 11.3, 2. Keith Lectora (NL), 3. Thomas Blair (L); 200 - 1. Christopher Frame (NL) 23.7, 2. Aiden Eckhart (L), 3. Keith Lectora (NL); 400 - 1. Joe Roth (L) 54.2, 2. Ryan Kusse (L), 3. Seth Schaeffer (NL); 800 - 1. Kyle Kuznicki (L) 2:12.7, 2. Elijah Pagotto (L), 3. Sebestian Warner (L); 1600 - 1. Kyle Kuznicki (L) 4:50.7, 2. Elijah Pagotto (L), 3. Zaid Salih (NL); 3200 - 1. Kai Watto Salles (L) 12:02.7, 2. Edward Benedict (NL), 3. Ezra Berros (L); 110 H - 1. Equan Warner (L) 17.8, 2. Cayden Anglin (NL), 3. Jazier Ofray (L); 300 H - 1. Cayden Anglin (NL) 42.8, 2. Equan Warner (L), 3. Jazier Ofray (L); 400 relay - Northern Lehigh (Garrett Smoyer, Keith Lectora, Ryan Zambo, Christopher Frame) 46.0; 1600 relay - Lehighton (Joe Roth, Ryan Kusse, Kyle Kuznicki, Carter Hontz) 3:46.0; 3200 relay - Lehighton (Elijah Pagotto, Sebestian Warner, Kyle Kuznicki, Aiden Eckhart) 14:27.3; Shot put - 1. Landon Moll (NL) 38-3, 2. Bodie Hawk (L), 3. William Slattery (NL); Discus - 1. Landen Klimek (NL) 146-3, 2. Bodie Hawk (L), 3. Landon Moll (NL); Javelin - 1. Joe Roth (L) 169-4, 2. Kris Rodgers (L), 3. Mason Rothrock (NL); Long jump - 1. Griffin Martin (L) 19-7 3/4, 2. Owen Eckhart (L), 3. Dregan Millroy (NL); Triple jump - 1. Phillip Ebbert (L) 38-8, 2. Owen Eckhart (L), 3. Griffin Martin (L); High jump - 1. Joe Roth (L) 5-7, 2. Kellen Bauer (NL), 3. Phillip Ebbert (L); Pole vault - 1. Clair Strohl (L) 10-0, 2. Zaid Salih (NL), 3. Dregan Millroy (NL).

GIRLS

Lehighton 102, Northern Lehigh 47

100 - 1. Lilyana Shapiro (L) 13.0, 2. Timara Klotz (L), 3. Anna Trelease (NL); 200 - 1. Lilyana Shapiro (L) 26.5, 2. Timara Klotz (L), 3. Alexia Heffelfinger (NL); 400 - 1. Cayley Reph (L) 1:03.8, 2. Claudia Pagotto (L), 3. Natalie Miffitt (NL); 800 - 1. Katelynn Barthold (NL) 2:20.6, 2. Brielle Frable (L), 3. Mikayla Gordon (NL); 1600 - 1. Brielle Frable (L) 5:32.0, 2. Emma Heil (NL), 3. Anna Hawk (L); 3200 - 1. Emma Heil (NL) 12:28.2, 2. Claudia Pagotto (L), 3. Anna Hawk (L); 100 H - 1. Lillian Klotz (L) 17.8, 2. Dekota Barthold (NL), 3. Malia Hyman (N); 300 H - 1. Lillian Klotz (L) 55.4, 2. Malia Hyman (NL), 3. Cassidy Litts (L); 400 relay - Lehighton (Timara Klotz, Taylor Moyer, Allee Maini, Lilyana Shapiro) 54.0; 1600 relay - Lehighton (Lilyana Shapiro, Cayley Reph, Taylor Moyer, Brielle Frable) 4:15.8; 3200 relay - Lehighton (Cayley Reph, Anna Hawk, Brielle Frable, Claudia Pagotto) 14:26.8; Shot put - 1. Lorah Thomas (L) 34-7, 2. Anna Trelease (NL), 3. Dekota Barthold (NL); Discus - 1. Hallie Miller (L) 102-9, 2. Anna Trelease (NL), 3. McKenna Kirk (NL); Javelin - 1. Emma Repsher (L) 117-6, 2. Anna Trelease (NL), 3. Dekota Barthold (NL); Long jump - 1. Katelynn Barthold (NL) 16-0 1/2, 2. Darcy Leiby (L), 3. Alexandra Feller (L); Triple jump - 1. Alexandra Feller (L) 32-3, 2. Taylor Everk (NL), 3. Charlotte Griffiths (L); High jump - 1. Alexandra Feller (L) 4-7, 2. Natalie Moffitt (NL), 3. Julia Smith (L); Pole vault - 1. Lillian Klotz (L) 6-3, 2. Kamryn Krause (L).