the Cafe
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in Face of Tragedy
Dressed in their sharpest uniforms, members of Cape Henlopen's cross country team gathered for a team photograph on a grassy area between a pair of trees showing all the brilliant colors of autumn.
There was laughter and camaraderie as the boys' and girls' teams had their pictures taken separately.
Those not in the photos tooled around on the crutches of injured teammates who had temporarily cast aside their walking aids to pose for the photographer.
After the boys' and girls' teams had been photographed together, coach Pat Pollock gave permission for a "silly photo" in which team members were allowed to pose any way they wanted.
The good cheer filling the afternoon air almost masked the fact that this was a team still coping with a devastating tragedy.
"There's a kind of emptiness," junior Jennifer Hicks said. "There's somebody missing."
Assistant coach Cindy Popovich: "You look for her every day. It's been tough because you just expect her to come around the corner."
Pollock: "I've lost track of time. It's like she's on a trip."
All were referring to junior runner Danielle Guerin, who was killed in a single-car car accident north of Milton on Oct. 28.
Guerin and five other Cape students, three of whom were cross country team members, were headed to the Milton Halloween parade that evening when Guerin lost control of her Ford Explorer, ran off the road and struck a grove of trees.
She was pronounced dead at the scene. Passengers injured in the accident included cross country runners Justin Bragg, Brian Kneipp and Michael Blankenship.
Bragg spent more than a week in the intensive care unit and Kneipp suffered a broken leg.
The tragedy devastated the Cape Henlopen community, as more than 100 people packed the emergency room at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes the night of the accident.
Guerin was one of the top runners in the Henlopen Conference and among a talented group of juniors who elevated Cape from an also-ran to the top of the state rankings in just three years.
But it was her personality that affected people the most.
"There were so many good times with her. She was always laughing and joking," senior Sara Popovich said.
Pollock held practice the day after the accident, not to prepare for the upcoming Sussex County championships, but to allow grief-stricken teammates to draw strength from one another.
"Those afternoon practices weren't for quality. They were to spend time together," Pollock said. "I just felt it was the thing to do. I couldn't have done it without my assistant coaches."
Assistant Cindy Popovich noted her run with the girls' team that afternoon was probably the toughest of the season.
"We sang every song that we all knew and by the time we got back, we felt better," she said.
And instead of falling apart in the face of tragedy, the team drew closer together. This was evident from the numerous hugs exchanged during the photo shoot.
"All we did was maybe point them in that direction," Pollock said. "It was just as hard on us as it was the kids."
The Monday following the accident, the girls team won the county meet, setting a new low-point record. The boys finished a respectable third.
"They didn't need us that Monday," Pollock said of himself, Cindy Popovich and assistant Ray Rodriguez. "Right off the bat, they weren't feeling sorry for themselves."
The following Saturday, the Cape girls finished second and the boys sixth in the Henlopen Conference championships.
But that success hasn't erased the pain of losing a beloved teammate.
"I think it really helped being with the team," Hicks said. "It helps to remember all of the good stuff."
Perhaps the toughest task was running in the county meet a few days after the tragedy.
Guerin's absence at the starting line couldn't be ignored.
"That race seemed longer than the week before," said junior Cole Pavlik, who ran directly behind Guerin on the same course in Seaford the day before the accident. "Sometimes running helps."
Added Hicks: "That was a big hurdle but we stuck together and got through it."
Sara Popovich noted the team was trying to focus on doing well in the upcoming state championships. "We're focusing on that. We're out to win this for Danielle," said Popovich, who missed the meet with a sprained ankle.
Present at last week's photo shoot were Bragg and Kneipp, who both walked with the aid of crutches.
Bragg suffered fractured ribs, a ruptured spleen and a dislocated hip in the accident and was released from the hospital Nov. 7. He will not return to school for a least another month.
"I'm feeling much better," he said. "Thinking about it, it's been rough. It hasn't really sunk in."
Bragg was running cross country for the first time this year and noted Guerin helped him adjust to a new sport.
"She made it a lot easier," he said.
Kneipp will return to school soon, carrying with him fond memories of his lost friend and teammate. "I just try to think of the good side of her," he said. "I'm not going to forget her."
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