POUGHKEEPSIE — Every year, the Adirondack team at the Empire State Games wears yellow.

But this year, the girls’ lacrosse team representing the region had a big splash of red.

Five members of the Guilderland High School girls’ lacrosse team were members of the Adirondack team.

Kayla Best, Valerie Feldman, Laura Dreissen, Lynn Tran, and Kaitlyn Vennard represented Guilderland High School. All but Tran will be seniors next year.

The Adirondack team finished in fourth place after a tough 13-12 loss to Centeral in the bronze medal game.

After a win over New York City that put them in the bronze-medal game, the five girls took a break from thinking about the games at the tournament and talked about the atmosphere at the games.
"It’s fun being independent and being in the dorms," Driessen said.
"It feels like the Olympics," Vennard added.
"The competition is good," Driessen said. "It a whole new experience."
"But the independence is the best," Feldman added. "I like the dorms."

Most of the girls are using the experience to get ready for college life and playing lacrosse in college. Tran, a junior, has another year.
"I’m looking forward to coming back," Tran said. "I want to play lacrosse in college."

All the girls play soccer and are preparing for that season; practices will start in mid-August.

Best played on the Adirondack team two years ago in Buffalo and she played soccer last year at the games in Binghamton.
"We’re the best in the region," Best said. "And we are representing our school."

The Empire State Games attracts college coaches.
"It’s definitely good for recruiting," Vennard said. "It’s exciting to know coaches are looking at you."

The girls were also excited about next spring’s high school season. With five representatives, the Guilderland girls hope to get past rival Bethlehem and win a Section II championship.
"We only lose a couple of seniors," Best said. "We’ll need someone to step up on defense and our big loss is our goalie."

Suburban Council all-star Lauren Chatnik graduated in June.
"But Bethlehem lost seven seniors," Feldman said.
"Guilderland’s going to be on top," Feldman added.
"We’re going to beat Bethlehem," Vennard said.

The players put the local rivalry aside and played on the same team with two Bethlehem representatives.
"We play with most of the girls’ in leagues," Feldman said. "It helps with the flow of game."

They had to adjust to a different coaching style, but the familiarity with teammates was a key. It helped to have so many players who had played as a team for a few years.

But, when the school season starts in April, the rivalries will be back.
"We push each other," Tran said. "It makes us work for it more."
"When we play them, we want to beat them," Best said. "When the game is over, we’re friends again."
Afterwards, it’s all fun and games," Feldman said.

Best and Vennard scored five goals in the tournament and Feldman scored two. Tran played mostly on defense and Driessen injured her knee and missed most of the games and won’t be able to play until next spring.

The Empire State Games can bring many experiences and be used as a learning tool for the future. One girl still may have a lot to learn.
"They left to go to breakfast and went without me," Felman said.
"Val had to learn," Driessen said.