I’ve taken video and photos at games I’ve covered, but I always used my phone to capture those photos. That changed on Nov. 16, when I used a Nikon (loaned to me from the Billings Gazette photo staff) to shoot a Montana Class A state semifinal football game.

I also shot video on my phone, like I do every game, and created a highlight reel that I posted to YouTube and to 406mtsports.com. I am a writer, after all, so those visual components took back seats to my game story. The story, photos and video can be found here: https://406mtsports.com/high-school/football/class-a-football-turnovers-help-no-miles-city-beat-no/article_9bc474d8-b422-5cfc-8481-04ee78046d3a.html

A Gazette photographer went to the state title game a week later, but I still created a highlight video in addition to my gamer: https://406mtsports.com/high-school/football/class-a-championship-no-miles-city-handles-no-laurel-for/article_db92049d-71ce-5baa-829e-88696c749d0f.html

UPDATE (12/2/20): I took photos, shot video and wrote stories from two state title football games this season. Links to those stories are below.

State 6-Man football: Froid-Lake beats White Sulphur Springs for 1st championship

State B football: Inspired by injured senior, Manhattan rallies past Fairfield for 1st title

I mentioned in my last post how much I enjoy writing diagnosis stories. This was another article in that vein. A relatively large school forfeited its varsity football season. I was fascinated to find out what led to that (basically unprecedented) decision and how the program planned to improve going forward.

Livingston searches for solutions after forfeited football season

I’m always attracted to a story where I can diagnose a situation. Why did this happen? and where do the people involved go from here? are simple questions from a story structure standpoint, but the circumstances surrounding those questions are always complex. That was the case with this article about a triathlon that ended after 40 years.

Farewell at 40: ‘No future’ for beloved Peaks to Prairie Adventure Race

This was and still is one of the oddest stories I’ve reported.

PBR will return to Billings in 2020 despite CEO’s threat

In many ways, this is more of a news article than a sports one. It explores a controversial policy from Montana’s activities association, and… well, the headline summarizes it, and you should read the story regardless!

MHSA amends policy, will allow tribal flags to be presented at basketball tournaments

This is probably my favorite story I’ve worked on at the Billings Gazette/406mtsports.com because it’s my favorite type of story: a feature that’s nominally about one thing but dives into much deeper territory.

This feature focuses on a Native American basketball team that lost its head coach months earlier in a boating accident. I wrote about the coach in the eyes of current players and coaches, and I tied in this death with other recent tragedies in the community of Lame Deer, Montana.

Amid tragedies, Lame Deer boys found bright light in memory of late coach

By far the biggest (in terms of length and subject matter) story I’ve worked on in my two-plus months at the Billings Gazette is a January piece I co-wrote about a Montana State broadcaster who “more likely than not” sexually harassed a reporter who was covering University of Montana athletics for the Missoulian. 

Credit where it’s due, the story’s other author (Jeff Welsch) did more reporting than I did.

‘Voice of the Bobcats’ resigned amid sexual harassment investigation