KREMMLING — It was the kind of day and setting J.D. Guess would have loved.
“No question,” West Grand High School agriculture teacher Will Humber said.
On Oct. 27, Guess, the West Grand quarterback, defensive end and 16-year-old star captain, was returning home from practice after school and died in a one-car accident. The cause has yet to be determined.
Here, 11 days later, the Mustangs were hosting a preliminary-round game in the 8-man state football playoffs.
The west end of Grand County was brilliantly sun-splashed, with majestic views surrounding the West Grand football field.
The temperatures ranged from the low teens to the higher 30s but seemed much higher from the sun as well as the warmth of surrounding hearts.
Community members sponsored a free tailgate party open to everyone
“A little comfort food, people coming together for the family,” Humber said. “When something like this happens, you can see the gentleness.”
This community is still reeling, whether or not its people want you to know it. The town lost one of its own, a teenager with a ceiling higher than nearby Byers Peak.
“Destroyed,” is how Bernie Murphy summed up at least the preliminary feeling of the Kremmling area. He owns Murphy’s Food & Spirits, a pub in Silverthorne, 35 miles away.
“That first time is hard,” he said. “Kids that age, they haven’t had something like that hit them.”
But these kids have, and they’re coping as best they can.
“It has been really hard,” West Grand junior Jacey Murphy said. “It’s just really tragic.”
Linda Manguso, who has three teenagers, said: “Kids think they’re invincible. Then when something like this happens, it just hits them in the face.”
Her son earned his driver’s license the day before Guess’ accident, she said, “and it’s scary. (Guess) was doing everything right. He wasn’t texting, there was no service. … Maybe an animal came out and he swerved, … just some freak thing.”
West Grand football coach Chris Brown said he has “gone to 150 coaching clinics in my 40 years, and never once did we talk about this or in school when I was teaching.”
However, area residents have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness to learn on the fly to pay tribute to the Guess family.
A week ago, and just a few days before West Grand traveled to face Vail Christian for the 8-man Central League championship, Brown was like others who were floored by the response.
“There were people there,” he said, “who ordinarily wouldn’t cross the street to see us play.”
Teams such as Gilpin County, Steamboat Springs, Middle Park and North Park either showed up at the game or were represented in full force Monday, when the school hosted a memorial service for Guess.
“I gave (the players) every opportunity to not play the (league championship) game,” Brown said. “I think they were leaning that way, but J.D.’s dad and brother met with them and said, no question, they wanted them to play. I would have forfeited, and it would have been fine with me.”
As it was, West Grand (enrollment of about 120) overcame an 8-6 halftime deficit to win 34-8. It gave Brown his 306th career victory, tied for tops in state history with Pat Panek, the legendary coach at Denver East and Bishop Machebeuf.
But it could have given Brown his 3,000th victory, and he wouldn’t have cared. It was more about trying to celebrate a life that ended way too early and having his community make a move toward healing.
“We’ve never had that happen to us, and this was the real deal and probably the leader of the school as a junior,” Brown said of Guess, a 6-foot-3, 201-pounder.
Guess led the Mustangs not only on the field but also in character and friendship.
“He had a smile that could light up a room,” Humber said.
Guess also was the Prince of Homecoming and a glue of sorts, junior volleyball Sydney Almgren said, even after his death. “We’re all pulling together,” she said.
Fans sported T-shirts that proudly stated: “United In Purple” and “We Play for J.D.” There were buttons. Posters. Kids dyed their hair purple. And even Dove Creek, West Grand’s opponent Saturday, wore stickers with “9,” Guess’ number, on its helmets. Sophomore teammate Brady Gore proudly wore the No. 9 jersey for the second consecutive week as a tribute.
“He was probably my best friend. We did everything together. We hung out all of the time, and we were good friends through sports,” Gore said. “I asked his parents if it was OK with them. … I made sure, and I felt it was necessary.”
After Saturday’s game, Eric and Will Guess greeted the players and coaches while leaving the field. Eric Guess said his family is doing “as well as can be expected.”
He also was thrilled with the Kremmling community’s response.
“There’s not that many places left like this,” he said.
The Mustangs usually play on Friday nights, if for no other reason than to allow locals to use the surrounding, unique area for hunting on Saturdays.
On this particular Saturday, they attended a football game, yet were still rewarded — they bagged the trophies of caring, kindness, respect and love.
And all of those can be mounted on anyone’s wall.
Neil H. Devlin: ndevlin@denverpost.com or @neildevlin
West Grand completed its season Saturday, when the Mustangs were routed 48-6 by visiting Dove Creek in the Class A 8-man state preliminaries. It was over rather early — West Grand fell under the 40-point mercy rule with 5:12 to play in the third quarter.
A week ago, the Mustangs rallied to defeat Vail Christian and hand coach Chris Brown his 306th career victory, tied with Pat Panek for most in state history.
He may end up as part of a three-way tie with Kent Denver’s Scott Yates, who stands at 303 and could reach 306 if his Sun Devils run the 2A table.
“First of all, Scott Yates is younger than I am (58-to-62) and coaching in a place where they win a lot of games,” Brown said. “He’ll blow by me like the Wyoming wind.”
