Santa Clarita girls’ hockey team wins championship following tragic Colorado crash

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - A Santa Clarita girls’ hockey team has secured a championship trophy in Colorado, a victory defined by resilience following a deadly vehicle accident that devastated the close-knit squad. 

The backstory:

The Santa Clarita Lady Flyers were traveling for a tournament when their bus was involved in a major collision on a slick, snow-covered Colorado highway on Jan. 29.

Among those in the rented van were three players from the team, which was made up of athletes ages 12 and younger, authorities said.

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The crash was fatal, resulting in the death of the driver of the van, identified by the Clear Creek Coroner's office as Manuel Alejandro Lorenzana-Villegas, 38.

Several players suffered injuries ranging from minor to severe. Two team members remain hospitalized.

What we know:

In the wake of the tragedy, the players were given the option to withdraw from the competition, but they collectively chose to play on to honor those affected.

The team played five games in three days in Littleton, and won all but one, according to the Gazette.

The team won the championship game 1-0 with a shootout, the newspaper reported.

What's next:

The team is expected to return to Santa Clarita this week, where the community is planning a homecoming reception. 

What you can do:

A GoFundMe has been launched to help the family of Lorenzana-Villegas.