Heading into the State Girls Swimming Championships on Friday and Saturday, five Queensbury swimmers have faster times and school records on their minds.

They also have at least another year to try for a top finish, unlike Saratoga Springs' lone qualifier, senior Taylor Slone, who hopes to place among the best in her fourth and final state meet.

All six girls will represent Section II in the meet at Webster Schroeder High School near Rochester on Friday, with the intention of advancing to their respective finals on Saturday.

Slone will aim for a top-three finish in the 100-yard freestyle after placing 12th at states last year.

Queensbury juniors Brooke Barber, Rachael McMahon and Hillary Chocko, who helped set the school record in the 200 medley relay in 2007 (1:52.97), have collectively made it back to race the same relay for a third year.

Barber specializes in the 50 freestyle (24.80) and is hoping to edge the school record (24.33) in her individual race as well as anchor the team's two relays, in the 200 medley and 200 freestyle, to strong performances.

McMahon, who set Queensbury's 100 free record last year (54.50), will contend with Slone in the event. Eileen Goralski, another school-record holding junior, will race the 100 breaststroke for her second consecutive year.

The team's only rookie, sophomore Alanna Blackburn, qualified with the team's second relay, the 200 freestyle.

The surprising Spartans

Two weeks ago, Queensbury head coach Dan Demeter thought he'd be sending two swimmers to states, compared to the seven who went last year.

Barber and Goralski individually achieved state-qualifying times before the Section II meet, and Demeter was unsure of how his other top swimmers would fare in their last regular-season race.

"In my mind, they just weren't getting fired up for this sectional meet," he said. "To their credit, they got fired up."

He assembled two relays, one with McMahon, Goralski, Chocko and Barber in the 200 medley, and the other with Blackburn, Goralski, McMahon and Barber in the 200 free. The medley was an end-of-season experiment, with McMahon proving herself the fastest first-leg backstroker.

"We tried that foursome I think three times before sectionals, and son of a gun if we didn't make it to states," he said. "They only qualified within .06 of a second, but they made it, so you have to give them credit for that."

Later in the sectional meet, the 200 free relay emerged as a bigger surprise. Three seconds off the state-qualifying time heading into the trials, the team made the finals and edged rival Burnt Hills by three-tenths of a second for first place.

"Collectively, I don't think this school has ever had a group that's made this much of an impact," Demeter said. "The fact that they made it is icing on the cake at this point. I'm just extremely proud of them."

Pride aside, the girls have certain goals.

"We'd really like to break some records in the relays," Goralski said. For McMahon and Barber, that would involve re-breaking; in addition to the 200 medley, they were also on the school's fastest 200 free relay in 2008 (1:42.43).

Barber will be shooting for a top-10 individual finish after being ranked 16th in the 50 free, and Goralski and McMahon would like to make the finals in their respective races. Goralski, who set the 100 breaststroke school record at sectionals (1:07.77), has the 15th fastest time heading into states.

"It's just a fun experience," said McMahon. "So even if we don't win, we're just happy to have made it."

Blue Streak's swan song

In her high school swimming finale, Slone will attempt to cut her best time in the 100 free this year (55.27) by nearly two seconds to beat Saratoga's school record (53.5).

She managed a 54.00 at sectionals last year and came in 12th at states. Ranked 61st in her event, she's hoping to finish sixth or better, preferably within the top-three.

"She's an incredibly hard worker," said head coach Joshua Muldner, "and I'd be hard pressed to think of anyone more focused on her goals than Taylor Slone."

Slone's swimming success since the age of 5, when she first swam the 100 free, has earned her spot with the University of Vermont's Division I team. She said she committed to the school a week ago, and despite her strength over shorter distances, she'll be moving on to longer races, such as 500- and 1,000-yard events.

"It's just a change of pace," she said.

As for her final sprint in her last state meet: "I'm happy about it. ... It's going to be really just a pump-up atmosphere and at the same time there's going to be sadness because it's your last one."