The Pope boys and Wheeler girls will try to defend their team titles as the Cobb County track and field championships begin a two-day run Saturday at Marietta.

The meet will get under way Saturday at 9 a.m. with finals in the field events and 1,600-meter run. The running-event preliminaries will also take place.

The event will conclude Monday, beginning at 5 p.m., with finals in the remainder of the running events.

Pope will aim for a consecutive boys championships with a roster strongest in the field and distance-running events.

“We feel like we are in the right place at this point in the season,” Pope coach Jerad Johnson said. “We are looking ahead to region. That is our main focus. We are very excited about the competition we will get to face at the county meet and see what kind of results we can post for ourselves.

“However, we are not expecting to walk out there and win the championship again. We were not at all expecting to win last year — just hoping to place in the top three — and we will have the same approach this year.”

McEachern is expected to make a strong run for the boys title with a formidable lineup in the sprints, relays and jumping events.

Kell is also expected to contend as well, with its strong hurdlers and throwers, while Wheeler and Marietta are also contenders.

The Wheeler girls were another first-time county champion last year, and the Lady Wildcats will go for two in a row with a squad strongest in the jumping events and relays.

McEachern will try to make a clean sweep of the team titles as the Lady Indians figure to contend for the girls crown with their strong sprinters and relay squads.

“We are coming into this week ready to compete,” McEachern coach Phil Hoskins said. “We will be trying to keep the energy we had at (last week’s) Coaches Invitational. We look forward to the competition as there are many strong teams competing with some talented athletes.”

Campbell is also expected to contend, with its strengths in the sprints, relays and jumping events. Walton, meanwhile, brings a well-rounded squad that should score points in the sprints, distance and field events.

Kell standout Kendell Williams returns to defend her titles in the girls 100- and 300-meter hurdles and the high jump, while Lassiter’s Marcie Merriman is the favorite to win both the 1,600 and 3,200 runs.

Walton’s Tayla Carter is favored in the girls 100 dash and is one of the top contenders in the 200 dash, along with Campbell’s Kelli Hardnett.

On the boys side, Whitefield Academy’s Cameron Thornton will try to defend his titles in the 800 and 1,600 runs, while Kell’s Jordan Chambers is the favorite in both the boys shot put and discus.

Kell’s Devon Williams and Campbell’s Alan Frye are expected to be the top contenders in both the 110 and 300 hurdles.

Sprayberry’s Michael Newton (200, 400), McEachern’s Amba Etta-Tawo (100, 200) and Pope’s Patrick Fleming (1,600, 3,200) also have a shot at multiple titles.