GUILDERLAND — Hard work pays off. At least it has for a pair of Guilderland Lady Dutch lacrosse players.

Senior Abbey Fashouer and junior Danielle Tetreault were honored by US Lacrosse as All-Americans in the Adirondack area. US Lacrosse is the governing body of the sport.

“It’s really a great honor for me,” Fashouer said. “Since I’m graduating, it’s great to leave with this kind of recognition. It shows that all the hard work pays off. You get back what you put in.”

“I was surprised by it,” Tetreault said. “I was not expecting it. There is such a strong senior class, a big group leaving. Niskayuna is losing its whole team. I’ve played with them last summer. I’m surprised.”

Fashouer and Tetreault are just two of 10 local lacrosse players to be honored. Also several Dutch players were named Academic All-Americans. Joining Tetreault on that team are juniors Amanda Best, Courtney Davis, Bridgit Daley, and Jen Madsen.

“Those are great awards,” said Guilderland Coach Gary Chatnik. “They deserve them. We also had a lot of first- and second-team Suburban Council All-Stars. I think that shows all the hard work they put in on the field and off. They are very good kids.”

“Team-oriented”

“It shows the hard work we’ve done,” Tetreault said. “But we are team oriented. We don’t look to be awarded individually.”

“It’s rewarding,” Fashouer said. “I just play lacrosse. To do something and to get a prestigious award, it’s a great feeling.

“The Suburban Council has so many great players,” she added. “And New York has fabulous players.”

Fashouer and Tetreault were just part of a very successful Lady Dutch squad this past spring.

Guilderland finished the regular season unbeaten and rolled through the Section II playoffs, beating Shaker High School for the title for the second straight year.

“I guess the whole season built up to this,’ Tetreault said. “I wouldn’t be anywhere without the rest of my teammates. In lacrosse, you’re nothing without your teammates.”

Guilderland beat Lakeland-Panas of Section I and Kingston of Section IX to advance to the state semifinals for the first time ever.

“It is a great feeling in your senior year to go further than the team has ever been,” Fashouer said.

In the semifinal game, the Lady Dutch ran into a tough team — Farmingdale of Long Island, losing 16-10.

“We wanted to be in the championship game,” Tetreault said. “A lot of the coaches that I talked to afterward said we played like it was our first time there. Farmingdale had been there four other times. We want to go even further now that we know what it’s like to be there.”

Chatnik’s girls

The Dutch became a local powerhouse in a short time.

“Our coach has worked so hard and not just with Guilderland,” Fashouer said.

“Coach Chatnik started the youth program when we were all in third and fourth grade,” Tetreault said. “We are the first class he started with at Guilderland. He was looking forward to this team. We all started so young and we have played together for so long, we play together as a team. It really helps.”

Tetreault is part of the junior class of players that started lacrosse together in the fourth grade. Fashouer did not start playing the sport until eighth grade.

“Once I picked up a stick,” Fashouer said, “I loved it.”

Fashouer and Tetreault and the other Guilderland girls spend a lot of time playing lacrosse.

“I always play in summer and fall leagues,” Fashouer said.

“In the fall, I play soccer so it’s hard to play two sports,” Tetreault said.

In the summer, Tetreault said that she and many of her Guilderland teammates play for the Albany Elite club and at the Empire State Games. Tetreault said, “Sometimes we play five to six days in a week.”

Next level

Fashouer will play college lacrosse at the University of Delaware. Tetreault still has time before she has to make her choice.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Fashouer said of Delaware. “It will be a greater achievement than I’ve ever accomplished. I’ll have to push myself to a whole new level.”

“I’m starting to get into college mode,” Tetreault said. “I have to keep improving. I’m thinking about going somewhere to play both soccer and lacrosse. I’m not sure I’ll play both.

“And academics will play a big part in it as well,” Tetreault added. “If I decide to just play lacrosse, I’ll try and go DI. If I do both, I’ll probably go to a DIII school,” she said contrasting a Division I school with a Division III school.

Fashouer and Tetreault are proud of what they have accomplished but both have more they want to do.

“We lose some great players,” Tetreault said. “We all want to come back and not just get back to the states, but take the next step.”

“I’m glad to have been part of such a good program,” Fashouer said. “It’s a great team that we have. We worked hard as a team and as individuals to get to where we are.”