Coach Robert Steele’s boys, a perennial 2A power, will be seeking their 13th straight county championship in the annual meet, which begins at 5 p.m. with field events. Running events will start at 6.

The Cavaliers outscored runner-up East Rowan 157-78 last year.

North isn’t as strong as when it won five straight state 2A titles (1994-98), but the Cavaliers still have a lot of manpower. Sprinter Malachi Brown, the Most Valuable Participant in the sprints as a sophomore last year, is a threat to win three races. Teammate Anwar Jackson leads the county in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 42.81, and Jonquil Walker is first in the 800 in 2:00.50.

Brown won the 100 in 10.58 and the 400 in 51.38 in the county meet a year ago. This season, he’s had a county-leading time of 49.70 in the 400 and the second-best times in the 100 (10.78) and 200 (22.36).

Brown’s chief competition in the 100 and 200 will come from South Rowan’s Ernie Wiggins, who set a county record with a questionable time of 10.22 in a recent meet at East Rowan. Wiggins is the county leader in both the 100 and 200 (21.81).

North also has the county’s fastest times in the 800 (1:31.26), 1600 (3:29.50) and 3200 (8:49.56) relays.

East’s Danny Misenheimer is the leader in both the shot put (57-9) and discus (143-0). He won the shot put last year.

West Rowan’s Justin Davis leads in both the long jump (22 feet) and triple jump(45-7). Teammate Matt Smith is tops in the 110 hurdles in 15.28. West also leads in the 400 relay in 44.89.

Other leaders are Jay Phillips of South with a pole vault of 10-6; West’s Norris White, South’s Will Woodruff and East’s Taylor Weber with high jumps of 5-10; Michael Gaus of Salisbury with a time of 4:38.23 in the 1600; and Phillip Johnson of East with a clocking of 10:17.26 in the 3200, unofficially the fastest time ever for a local freshman.

Gaus, a German foreign exchange student, might not be able to compete because of a foot injury.

West’s Josh Houghton and Salisbury’s David Bost are other distance runners to watch. Houghton won the 1600 last year, while Bost triumphed in the 3200.

North’s girls, led by All-American LaTasha Pharr, will be seeking their third straight county title. Coach Brian Mills’ Cavaliers beat East by 25 points for the championship in 1999.

Pharr broke four meet records last year with times of 14.30 in the 100 hurdles and 47.82 in the 300 hurdles, a long jump of 18-3 and a triple jump of 38-8. The junior has better performances in all four events this season with times of 13.31 and 44.29 in the hurdles, a long jump of 19 feet and a triple jump of 39-7. Her 13.31 in the Central Carolina Conference meet on Monday broke her own all-time county record of 13.88. She’s also the all-time leader in the triple jump(40-91

Pharr was, of course, the MVP of the field events last year, while East’s Brooke Misenheimer, now a senior, was the MVP in the distances with three first places — 2:31.93 in the 800, 5:44.41 in the 1600 and 13:04.40 in the 3200.

Other defending champions are sophomore Crystal MacLamroc of East in the high jump(4-10) and South sophomore Cassidy Corriher in the pole vault (7 feet).

Pharr is the season’s county leader in all four of her events, and South freshman Katie Willett is tops in both the 800 (2:29.55) and 3200 (12:40.37).

Other season leaders are North’s Garette Hunter in the shot put (37-8 1/2); South’s Brittney Gaddy in the discus (104-8); South’s Amanda Shirley in the pole vault (8 feet); East’s MacLamroc and Allison Troutman and South’s Tiffany Childress in the high jump(4-10); West’s Telea Vinson in the 200(27.12); East’s Brianna Mundy in the 400 (1:02.0); and East’s Misenheimer in the 1600 (5:40.0).

Vinson also goes into the 100 as the favorite with a 12.94 time. Former teammate Tynesha Stafford has the season’s best time of 12.89, but is no longer on the team.