Mackenzie Gula has gone to the New York State Federation girls’ swimming meet every year since she joined the Pine Bush varsity team in seventh grade.

A total of five previous trips.

This year, she’ll be taking her final trip, leading a group of seven Pine Bush swimmers to the meet, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Webster High school Aquatic Center.

“It’s a bit emotional since I’ve gone since I was super young,” Gula said. “It’s the last time, but I’m with a great group of girls, so I think it would be a good last hurrah. I’m just excited to show off what I can do as a senior.”

Gula will own the back half of the meet, individually swimming the 100-yard butterfly and the 100-yard breaststroke. She’ll be joined by a teammate in each event. Ashley Martin will swim the 100-yard butterfly and Ella Humphrey will join in the breaststroke.

Gula went first and second with both teammates in each event. Martin and Humphrey have both been to States before, but as relays. It will be their first time as individuals.

Sadie DeGeorge will be making her first trip to States as an individual, swimming the 200-yard individual medley.

Martin qualified for States during the first meet of the season.

“It was a really good feeling,” she said. “I went in the meet, and I was ready because last year, I ended the season half a second off the State cut. So, I wanted to go in the first meet of the season and break the minute.”

Gula and Martin make up two of the three Pine Bush seniors attending the State meet. The third is Katie Webster, who will swim two individual events and two relays after swimming only one last year.

She swam the 50-yard freestyle at last year’s State meet and will swim the 100-yard freestyle this year. She’ll also swim the 200-yard medley relay team with Maya Oakes, Humphrey and Martin, and the 400-yard freestyle relay with Gula, Oakes and DeGeorge.

“It’s so crazy; I’m so excited,” Webster said. “This is the same group as last year, and Maya is with us this year. It’s just so exciting to be able to go with some of the same people that I’ve been spending it with since I’ve been 5 years old. It’s super exciting.”

The 200-yard freestyle relay team will consist of Gula, DeGeorge, Humphrey and Martin.

Oakes is the only swimmer making her first trip to the State meet.

“I’m really excited,” she said. “I’m excited to see how everyone’s been swimming really great. Everyone’s feeling good. I’m excited to see how they’re going to do. I’m ready to cheer them on.”

Goals are high for the Bushmen at States. Gula believes the relay teams can finish in the top five, while individual she wants to place in the top 15.

“That would be good for me,” Gula said. “Just so I can show that I’ve grown over the years since I’ve gone to States.”

Webster placed in the top 20 in her event last year and is looking for better.

But she has other goals as well.

“I just want to have a lot of fun with the team outside the pool,” Webster said. “But when it’s in the pool, it’s time to race.”