The SC Lady Flyers 12AA won the Western Girls Hockey League championship after a parent was killed and players were injured in a crash with a CDOT plow on Thursday.

LITTLETON, Colo. — After a deadly crash on I-70 Thursday, the SC Lady Flyers 12AA from California could have opted out of competing in the Western Girls Hockey League finals in Littleton. Instead, they played.

“We knew the families in the crash would want us to play,” said Sophia Boyle, team captain. “We decided not to just do it for ourselves, but to do it for them mostly.”

Head coach Todd Stelnick said it was on the girls to decide if they wanted to play. He said they came together on Thursday and voted. 

“I just said, ‘Win or lose, I’m just happy to be here with you girls. It’s up to you to write your ending of this story,'” Stelnick recalled

On Saturday, the girls lost one game, but could still advance to the championship game with one win Sunday morning. In the win or go home semifinals, they won to advance to the championship.

They took on the Colorado 14ers. Around the rink were signs, encouraging the Flyers and new fans, cheering them on in the stands.

“Our hockey community isn’t as big as basketball or football, but we’re all one giant community,” Boyle said. “We all support each other and my mind was just – I’m so grateful to be a part of this.”

Three minutes into the overtime period, the Flyers scored the one and only goal to win it all.


“We knew what we wanted and we tried our hardest and we got it,” Boyle said.

“It wasn’t easy and we had a short bench. They were completely gassed and I just kept telling them, ‘Push it push it push it,'” Stelnick said. “Keep moving your feet, keep trying.”

Stelnick shared how proud he was of the girls for taking a negative situation and making it positive.

“You can’t write a better story, what has happened to these girls,” Stelnick said.

He hoped the exposure of what the team has overcome inspires other young girls to consider playing hockey. He said women’s hockey is on the rise and more people should be paying attention to it.

Stelnick said the journey can’t be talked about without acknowledging the support the team has received along the way.

“I just want to thank everyone who has done something for us,” Stelnick said, choking up. “Even if you’re out there wearing the yellow and blue ribbon, taping your stick pink, I just appreciate everybody. We see it all.”

The girls said every bit of encouragement is what helped them win on Sunday.

“Win or lose, God was always on our side,” one player concluded.

Stelnick said a GoFundMe has been started by members of the California tattooing community for the man who was killed in the crash as he was a well-recognized artist. According to the fundraiser, the money raised will help bring the man’s body home, cover funeral expenses and support his daughter, one of the players on the team.

“We’re all supporting the family and everybody,” Boyle said.

Denver Health said on Sunday that doctors are still treating three adults with injuries related to the crash. The hospital said two are in serious condition and one is fair.