Crash upends girls' soccer trip, but not their resilience

The La Conner High School girls' soccer team lost its state tournament match last week.

But head coach Maddie Huscher, her staff and players won the hearts of many across Washington.

La Conner received much love on Thursday for hitting the road a second time for its playoff venue in Cle Elum.

The team's Nov. 13 trip ended abruptly when its bus was struck by a pickup truck on I-405 in Bothell, forcing a 24-hour postponement of La Conner's date with third-seeded Cle Elum-Roslyn.

No one on the bus was seriously hurt, though several players were shaken by the collision. Investigators believe the pickup driver had a medical emergency and careened into a roadway barrier in front of the bus.

"The truck cut right in front," freshman player Finley Hancock told KIRO News. "I heard screeching and then just 'bang' and I just fell off my seat."

Another player told KIRO's Jason Sloss that "everyone hit the seats. Everybody was just in shock for a couple minutes."

The Northshore School District transported the team home Nov. 13. The bus was towed to campus for a Washington State Patrol damage inspection.

A La Conner School District press release on Thursday said that a WSP report indicates the school bus was not at fault in the collision.

"WSP conducted a comprehensive inspection of the bus and confirmed that the vehicle met all safety standards and was in full compliance prior to the accident," the release stated.

School officials said that WSP investigators told them the bus driver had "acted appropriately and responsibly, ensuring the safety of all students and staff on board."

La Conner players reached Cle Elum on Thursday, Nov. 14, where the 14th-seeded Braves fell 11-0 to the highly touted hosts.

La Conner was treated as winners throughout.

Cle Elum-Roslyn unveiled a handmade, bright pink banner offering the Braves heartfelt appreciation for making the trip.

"We are so sorry y'all had such a scare yesterday and so glad everyone was ok," the banner read.

Veteran soccer referee Gordon Kelly, who has officiated nearly 3,900 matches over three decades, offered his admiration as well.

Huscher shared a message Kelly sent to La Conner Schools after he officiated the game.

"In my officiating career," Kelly wrote, "I have never seen such a wonderful collection of players and coaches as I did last evening with La Conner High School. The team was exuberant in their expressions of joy, never stopped smiling, and obviously had fun, even when the match got out of hand score-wise.

"They did not give up and represented La Conner High School and the La Conner community so positively," Kelly noted. "Their parents should be proud of raising such fine young ladies. The coaches are to be congratulated for building this culture of high school athletics being fun even in the face of adversity. Well done, La Conner!"

Huscher was also contacted by the Bothell Fire Department battalion chief who responded to the crash.

"I just wanted to drop you a note and tell you how amazing your staff was to deal with and how awesome your kids are," the official told Huscher. "We were so grateful that no one was injured and that we could come up with a solution to getting the team to Cle Elum. The calm that your adults brought to the bus was reflected by the kids and there was a ton of respect on both sides."

Huscher stressed that while her players had a tough week, they repeatedly rose to the occasion.

"We played an excellent soccer team on Thursday night and the girls looked up to the other team's skill level and remained positive the entire time," she said. "Wednesday's crash was super unfortunate, but the players had such a positive interaction with first responders that I hope they walked away with more knowledge about safe driving and future careers."

Huscher said well-wishes sent to the school district over the past couple days go far toward defining the La Conner team's character.

"I think the emails we've received help summarize the week for us," she said.

The Bothell Fire Department battalion chief's words were especially encouraging.

"I was a middle school special-education teacher before entering the fire service and still teach at various skill centers, and I know as administrators you don't always get the 'good news reporting' like you should," he said. "You should be proud. Take care and thanks for doing what you do."

La Conner Superintendent David Cram praised all those who rendered aid and assistance in the crash.

"We are deeply grateful for the quick actions of our bus driver, coaching staff and first responders, all of whom worked together to protect our students during this unexpected event," Cram said. "We are relieved that no injuries occurred and are thankful for the support from neighboring school districts and our community as we ensured a safe return for our students."