Longform Feature Story: The Brinks and Currys: a Carolina-Oregon connection steeped in years of history
Date: March 5, 2019
Importance: This feature is my second longform feature on Brink, but this time I centered it around Seth Curry. To execute this piece, I had to communicate with Trail Blazers' PR to interview Curry (done in Cleveland) alongside talking to Brink over the phone. While it did not run on the front of the local sports page, it was a fun piece to write and gave me some experience in speaking to people in high-up positions.
Longform Feature Profile: The award-winning Skyhawk
Date: February 20, 2019
Importance: This is one of my longer non-sports profile. It forced me to get out of my comfort zone, but I found out that the arts is another subject that has a lot of depth and encouraged me to write more about music in the future.
Longform Investigative News Story: A deep dive on the Beaverton School District budget crisis
Date: June 15, 2019
Importance: This is the longest, and most in-depth piece that I wrote on a subject that wasn't sports. This is more of a news piece where I talked to over five sources which included district principals and finance managers to try and get as much information that I could report. This project took a lot of time and tested my limits as a reporter, but also helped me grow and learn how to present information in a non-biased way.
Longform Feature Profile: From Skyhawk to Viking: how Filip Fullerton went from JV2 to D1 in just four years
Date: March 26, 2018
Importance: This was the first article that I submitted for awards and it received great feedback. This piece was named "Best of Category: Sports Feature" by the Northwest Scholastic Press. In this piece I sat down with a lot of sources including Fullerton's past, present, and future coaches as well as interviewing Trail Blazer's TV analyst Lamar Hurd in Boston for his perspective.
Game Story Sidebar: Checking in with Southridge alumni Bradley Bickler during first season at Oregon State
Date: November 5, 2018
Importance: To write this piece I needed to attend one of Bickler's college football games. I received a credential to cover Oregon State versus USC, and before the game got the chance to talk to Bickler before typing it up during the night in the press box. It was a great first professional experience for myself, and gave me a glimpse into how big-time sporting events work for journalists.
Feature Profile: One and not done
Date: November 12, 2019
Importance: This is one of the first feature stories that I did focused around a Southridge Alumnus. I called Brown in Miami to talk with her about her rough transition to the Hurricanes after a stellar season at Southridge. This story helped me establish new connections as well as gain experience with phone-interviews.
Longform Feature Profile: No Fly Zone: Duncanville High School's Ennis Rakestraw Jr. brings confidence, grit to the Tigers' 2020 roster
Date: September 9, 2020
Importance: Before the Missouri football season started, I talked to those around Rakestraw Jr. about what the corner was like in high school and how he went an entire year without allowing a single touchdown.
Feature Profile: Living their dream: Second Brown commits to Missouri
Date: August 30, 2020
Importance: There will be two Brown brothers on Missouri's basketball team starting in 2021. I talked to Kobe Brown's younger brother, Kaleb, about why he committed to Mizzou and how exactly he got here.
Longform Feature: 'Time for your Tigers': When Missouri football summoned homecoming magic in 2010 win over No. 1 Oklahoma.
Date: October 23, 2020
Importance: This year I wanted to take a look back at one of Missouri's most memorable homecoming game wins. I talked with players from that team along with fans and alumni about what it was like to be at Faurot Field that day.
Longform Profile: Driven by family: A van, a fitness test and an NFL dream.
Date: November 29, 2020
Importance: I wanted to get to know an offensive lineman's story. For this piece, I talked with those who knew lineman Larry Borom and tried to get a sense of his personality through this profile.
Longform Profile: 'One Time': Confidence and swagger helped shape Hansen's journey to Missouri Women's Basketball
Date: Feb. 18, 2021
Importance: I wrote about Lauren Hansen, how she developed her passion for basketball playing AAU and high school ball in New York and how that has translated to her time as a Tiger.
Longform Profile: Rekindling a spark: How LaDazhia Williams is regaining her confidence with Missouri women's basketball
Date: Mar. 1, 2021
Importance: I wrote about LaDazhia Williams, how she lost her passion and confidence for basketball during two seasons at South Carolina and how she started to find it again at Missouri.