One hundred and eighteen athletes registered to compete in this weekend’s New Hampshire Decathlon and Heptathlon Championships at Nashua South, and no one will enter the weekend with higher expectations — and perhaps feeling more pressure — than Exeter’s Hillary Holmes.

Holmes, who will join the Cornell track and field team this fall, won the Heptathlon last year after finishing third as a sophomore. Nashua South girls’ track and field coach Siobhan Kemezys called Holmes an overwhelming favorite.

“She’s gifted,” Kemezys said. “It’s amazing to see someone like her compete at the high school level. Anyone can have a bad day, but given her history and her consistency it would not be a surprise to see her win again.”

Making a repeat victory seen even more likely is the fact that Bishop Guertin’s Betsy Garnick registered for this week’s New Balance Heptathlon in North Carolina and won’t compete at Nashua South this weekend. Garnick set a state record in the 100-meter hurdles (14.09 seconds) at the New England Interscholastic Track and Field Championships last weekend, and was considered by many to be the biggest obstacle between Holmes and another Heptathlon championship.

“There’s always good competition,” Holmes said. “The high jump, long jump hurdles — those are my best events. The sprints I’m not terrible at. It’s just the throws that get to me.

“I feel good, definitely. I don’t have any injuries that are detrimental.”

The Heptathlon and Decathlon each begin Saturday and will conclude Sunday. The events are scheduled to start at 9 a.m. each day.

Nashua South senior Connor Rogowsky figures to be among the contenders in the Decathlon. Rogowksy finished fifth in the Decathlon last year, and the four athletes who finished ahead of him were seniors.

“I’d have to call him the favorite, although there are a number of capable athletes around the state,” said meet director Jason Paling, who is the boys’ track and field coach at Nashua South. “The boys are going to be more competitive than the girls. It should be a cakewalk for (Holmes). I’m looking forward to watching her.”

Rogowsky’s stiffest competition may come from Nashua South teammate Shawn Decost, who finished 12th a year ago.

“He (Decost) can hurdle and he can throw,” Paling said.

Both Rogowsky and Decost will attend Franklin Pierce University in the fall, where they will compete in track and field and play sprint football (for players who weigh no more than 172 pounds).

Merrimack Valley’s Chris Bohi figures to be another contender. Bohi finished 13th last year.

The boys will compete in five events Saturday: the 100-meter dash, the long jump, the shot put, the high jump and the 400.

The girls will compete in four events Saturday: the 100 hurdles, the high jump, the shot put and the 200.

“Last year the hurdles was my PR, and that’s the first event so it got me focused a little bit,” Holmes said. “Last year the big thing is the first day went really well. Three of the events I almost or did PR in, so that set me up for Day 2.”

“This is the last meet for high school, so there’s a little bit of pressure, but I’m excited too. I just want to do well. I want my last meet be a good meet.”

rbrown@unionleader.com