POULSBO — Claudia Velie, 14, is a first-year swimmer for Kingston but knows how to get into the zone as she preps for her first state tournament.

Lucky swim cap? Nope.

“I always do my hair the night before, in a French braid,” Velie said during practice Nov. 11 at North Kitsap Pool. “It helps me focus and get in the zone.”

North Kitsap and Kingston will be represented in the 2015 2A Girls State Swimming & Diving Championships. Prelims are Nov. 13; the finals are Nov. 14.

“I feel really good about it,” said Velie, who has been swimming with the North Kitsap Piranhas for six years. “State, for me, feels like any other high-level competition. It’s not much of a difference for me, but it will be fun.”

Both teams head to state well prepared.

Velie is one of a trio of experienced swimmers that will represent Kingston at state, and coach Pam Manix is confident. “At this point, anything can happen,” Manix said. “It really depends on how much they want it.”

North Kitsap placed third overall at the 2A District 3 Girls Swimming Championship at Hazen High School on Nov. 7. Serita Solis placed second and set a school record in the 100 Fly, at 1:00.04.

Isabel Hendryx, Dannica Hennings, Izy Iral and Serita Solis set meet and school records in the 200 Free Relay, 1:43.24.

In the 100 Backstroke, Hendryx’s time of 59.92 broke the school record she set in prelims. Hannah Uffens’ 1:06.14 was a personal record.

In the 400 Free relay, Hendryx, Hennings, Iral and Solis won the district title and set a school record of 3:47.83 – breaking the record they set in prelims by 5.3 seconds.

“We have not been seeded like this,” North Kitsap swim coach Greg Braun said. “This is a really special group of kids right here. They’re energetic and they work hard.”

He added, “This is the fastest team I’ve had in 26 years. We dropped 12 seconds off our time in two days; I was shocked. But they want it. They’re ready to take on the world.”

Swimmers have to make it through the first day to advance to the finals. “We’re going into state seeded first,” Braun said. “Our goal is not to be the fastest the first day, but just get to finals. We want to be the fastest team in the state finals.”

Solis said of the meet, “I’m really excited, a little scared, and kind of sad. This is my last state meet with the team. But it’s very cool to be part of the best teams NK’s ever had.”

How will she get in the zone? “I wear a necklace with a palm tree on it that my mom got me. I always do good when I wear it.”