NASHUA — Repeat winners in the New Hampshire Heptathlon have been commonplace in recent years. Pinkerton Academy's Bree Robinson prevailed in both 2007 and 2008, and Londonderry High School's Becca Parascandola finished first in 2009 and 2010.

Exeter's Hillary Holmes seems intent on making sure the trend continues this year.

Holmes, who won the Heptathlon as a junior, won three of the four events held Saturday at Nashua South, and will enter Day 2 in first place with 2,838 points.

Holmes set a meet record in the 110-meter hurdles (14.53 seconds) and also won the high jump (5 feet, 3 inches) and the 200 (26.82). In addition, she had a throw of 32-9 1/2 in the shot put.

Parascandola set the previous record in the 110 hurdles (14.54) in 2009.

“I'm satisfied,” Holmes said. “Definitely happy. I just have to stay focused. I'm trying to pass 4,500 (points), so I'll just try to stay relaxed and see what I can do. There are a lot of people who are going to be good competition in a lot of events.”

Nashua South's Shawn DeCost leads the Decathlon with 2,994 points. DeCost's highlights included a second-place finish in the 100 (11.71) and a fifth-place finish in the 400 (53.10).

“At first I wasn't too happy after the long jump, and then the next three events went really good,” DeCost said. “Realistically, I'd like to win, but there's a lot of good competition. After today I have a pretty good chance, I think, because tomorrow should be a pretty good day for me as well. It'll be tough.”

Londonderry's Michael Whelton is in second with 2,872 points, and Romario Bailey of Stevens is third with 2,844 points.

Holmes won the 110 hurdles, the high jump and the long jump en route to her first-place finish last year. She finished last year's meet with 4,358 points.

The Heptathlon's three other events — the long jump, the javelin and the 800-meter run —– will be held today at Nashua South.

“The long jump is a good event for me,” Holmes said. “The 800 is average and the javelin is my weakest event. I'll just try not to worry about it too much.”

Monadnock Regional's Jenna Athanasopoulos will enter the Heptathlon's second day in second place with 2,346 points. Athanasopoulos finished fifth last season.

Lebanon's Kelly Ludew is third with 2,226 points. Ludew, a junior, said she was particularly pleased with her effort in the high jump, where she cleared 4-6. It was the first time she has competed in the high jump or the shot put.

“I was looking at the results from the past few years to get an idea where I might place,” Ludew said. “I came here competitively and I think in most cases it went better than I expected, especially in the high jump.

“I think the long jump is my best hope for tomorrow, and then the 800 will be another unknown event I have to try.”

Today's Decathlon will feature the 110 hurdles, the discus, the pole vault the javelin and the 1,500.

Nashua South's Connor Rogowsky finished fifth in the Decathlon last year, and is in the same position after five events this year.

“It went fairly well with the exception of the high jump,” Rogowsky said. “I got 5-8 last year, but I had a bad day and ended up getting 5-1.

“Tomorrow I'm hoping for big points in the pole vault. I'm hoping for a top-five finish this year.

“You hope you can win every year, but this year it seemed more realistic because last year I finished in fifth place and all the people who were ahead of me were seniors. It's always a goal to come in first place. Like I said, this year it seems more realistic. I think I'm within striking distance. I hope I am at least.”

Merrimack Valley's Chris Bohi may be an athlete to keep an eye on Sunday. Bohi is in sixth place after five events, but his strongest events — the javelin and the pole vault — will be held Sunday. He finished third at the New England Track and Field Championships in the javelin, and 12th in the pole vault.

Bohi placed 13th in last year's Decathlon.

“I came here hoping to win,” Bohi said.

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Roger Brown may be reached at rbrown@unionleader.com.