After months of intense training, a large collection of Greater Rome teams are now ready for one weekend of intense competition.

A total of 11 cross country teams and seven cheerleading squads from the local area will be competing in sectionals and state meets this weekend with hopes of bringing home state championships.

The cheerleading competition runs Friday and Saturday at the Columbus Civic Center in Columbus, and the cross country meet is being held Saturday at Carrollton High’s home course (located on the campus of Carrollton Elementary School).

State titles will be awarded on Saturday at both venues — marking the culmination of many months of sweat and determination.

“We are very fortunate to be in the running (to be the) state champs again,” said Calhoun cheerleading coach Ginger Reeves.  “All the teams work extremely hard and have had challenges and struggles to overcome.”

Representing Greater Rome in the cheerleading competition will be Rockmart (AA), Coosa (AA), Armuchee (AA), Calhoun (AA), Cedartown (AAA), Trion (A) and Rome High’s co-ed squad (AAAA).

Rockmart, which won last weekend’s 7-AA meet at The Forum, has a bye through Friday’s sectionals and will go straight to the state event.

The other three local teams from 7-AA (Armuchee, Calhoun and Coosa) will be involved in Friday’s sectionals, along with Cedartown and Trion

Rome High, like Rockmart, has already qualified for state based on the team’s fourth-place finish at last weekend’s competition at The Forum.

In Carrollton, the Greater Rome cross country representatives will include three schools that are sending both their boys and girls teams — Darlington, Calhoun and Rome.

Joining those teams will be Rockmart’s boys and Model’s girls — who each won 7-AA titles last week — along with Coosa’s boys, Pepperell’s boys, and Gordon Central’s girls.

Saturday’s race schedule begins at 8:30 a.m., and continues until 3 p.m.