Sports Director

Grand Junction, Colorado

Garrett was born and raised in the heart of California’s Central Valley in Clovis, California.

He graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2021 with a degree in Journalism.

While there he was involved with student media and interned at an ESPN radio station.

Garrett then returned to his hometown for his first job after college as a Digital Content/News Producer in Fresno. While getting to cover news in his hometown was special, Garrett wanted to get back to doing what he really loved: covering sports and telling the stories of amazing athletes.

When he’s not covering sports in the Grand Valley Garrett, no surprise can often be found watching sports. His favorite teams are the San Francisco Giants and 49ers, Golden State Warriors, and his hometown Fresno State Bulldogs. He says you can probably guess his mood on any given day based solely on how one of his favorite teams did that day.

Outside of sports Garrett loves live music, traveling, and cooking.

Garrett says he would appreciate anyone reaching out with story ideas, or to complain about your fantasy football team, so long as you’re ready to hear how bad his team is as well.

ROCHESTER — After 50 years of existence, North Star FC is still dreaming big.

North Star FC, formerly known as Minnesota Rush and before that as Rochester Youth Soccer Association, Rochester’s primary soccer club would love to have its own outdoor playing complex.

It’s a club that keeps growing, including outside of Rochester (Albert Lea, Austin, Winona), and would like to grow some more.

“We’d like to have our own fields, just for the control that would provide,” said North Star FC Executive Director Kevin Lowery, whose association plays its Rochester outdoor games at Fuad Mansour Soccer Complex in northeast Rochester, as well as Watson Soccer Complex in northwest Rochester. “Eventually, it will happen.”

Lots has already happened with North Star FC. Lowery, who guesses that North Star FC is the largest soccer association in the state, has a massive membership. That includes 4,400 members on the recreation side of things and another 2,200 on the competitive side, 600 adults and another 250 in the 3-5 year-old age group.

Winona, Albert Lea and Austin are a part of that. And it wasn’t North Star FC recruiting those soccer communities to join North Star FC. It was the other way around.

“We’ve never gone out and tried to ask other clubs to join us,” Lowery said. “Winona, Albert Lea and Austin, all of those people have reached out to us.”

Lowery has a full-time staffer who’s in charge of watching over those three outlying communities. Most nights, through the year, Fabian Becerril is at one of those three locations, overseeing the soccer that is run through North Star FC. Becerril mentors coaches, evaluates players and answers to parents.

Becerril is part of a diverse seven-person full-time and one-person part-time staff at North Star FC. It’s a staff that has also continually grown, including it having recently hired Wayne Harrison, a world-renowned coach who is one of North Star FC’s technical directors for under-13 through under-19 divisions.

“His daughter was working at Mayo (Clinic) and then he moved here,” Lowery said. “He asked us if we had any spots open. Our board president (Rob Kraichely) jumped at (the opportunity to hire him). And Harrison has been great.”

Lowery, who’s been the club’s director since 2014, grew up in Pennsylvania. After a move to Alaska with his wife, she took a job at IBM in Rochester. They’d figured at first it would be a temporary move.

But they’ve enjoyed it here way too much to leave. That includes Lowery’s job as North Star FC’s executive director. He loves his work.

There is lots for him to oversee. Included in that is North Star FC’s own two-field indoor facility, where Lowery has his office and North Star FC has its own soccer store, which is run by long-time club employee Neil Cassidy. North Star FC’s building is at 380 Woodlake Dr. SE, in Rochester, near Whistle Binkies South.

“We want to make sure that Rochester FC is a top-tier club that cares for its kids (and adults),” Lowery said. “Our new slogan is, ‘We are a lifelong club.’”

It’s a life’s work that Lowery can’t get enough of.

“I’m having a blast with it,” Lowery said. “It doesn’t feel like work at all because of the fantastic staff we have and that we’ve built through the years. We have challenges with it once in a while. But I love watching kids and adults play. I love seeing 3-year-olds come out and kick a ball. That is what it’s all about.”

Demons lost six seniors from last year’s playoff team

King Kerlin of Durango High School splits the Montezuma-Cortez High School defense on Jan. 7 at DHS. Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)

Jerry McBride

“I am speed” is a quote credited to Lightning McQueen in the “Cars” movie series, but the Durango High School boys basketball team might steal that quote away from McQueen this season.

After finishing last season 14-11 overall after losing in the Sweet 16 of the 5A state playoffs and 4-6 in the 6A/5A Southwestern League, Durango lost six seniors.

However, the returners and newcomers are hungry to continue the success from last season, with a fast pace and athletic team.

“I’m excited with this group,” Durango head coach Alan Batiste said. “We put the majority of them together during the summer and we’re a young group, we have no seniors this year … but they’re a determined group and … they’re a little hungry to get something done and prove people wrong.”

Durango lost leading scorer Noah Miles, who led the team last season at 14.6 points per game, second-leading scorer Marcus Cullum (8.8 PPG) and fourth-leading senior forward Otto Aaland (5.3 PPG).

Miles was a multiyear contributor at the varsity level and the team’s leader last season. He could score from all three levels with his high release on his jump shot, and he was a clutch player, highlighted by his 3-pointer buzzer beater against Rampart in the second round of the 5A state playoffs last season.

Cullum was a scrappy and strong player who was a quality defender and also had a presence inside with his rebounding. Aaland was a lanky forward who could stretch the floor and block some shots.

After losing so much production, Batiste said the team prepped in the summer by playing in Phoenix, Tucson and in the local Fort Lewis College and Colorado Mesa University camps. The team started practicing on Nov. 17.

This year, Demons will be led by junior guard King Kerlin, who averaged 8.5 PPG. Kerlin is an athletic guard with a tight handle who can get to the rim, distribute and hit an outside shot. A big key for Kerlin will be to play more in control and not turn the ball over after leading the team in turnovers last season.

Batiste said he’ll rely on Kerlin to be a leader as it’s his third year on varsity, and the Demons have no seniors.

The only other returner who saw significant time on the team last season is sophomore guard Taj Batiste. The head coach’s son, Taj played with his father’s old AAU team in the summer. Taj flashed his talent at times last season as a freshman ball handler, and he knows he’ll have to step up after the loss in production from last year’s team.

Taj Batiste of Durango High School steals the ball while playing Montezuma-Cortez High School on Jan. 7 at DHS. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)

Jerry McBride

Batiste expects a big group of role players to step up from the junior varsity level, including junior Boaz Zastrocky and sophomores Jude Alderton and Tyler Hoerl. Batiste knows his complementary players will do what’s best for the team.

Since the Demons will be smaller, Batiste said they’ll rely on getting out in transition out of their defense and using their speed.

“We’ll still run an offense similar to last year, where it was four out, one in and five out, but we’re just much faster,” Batiste said. “We’re running with the ball. A motto I told them the other night was that we’re always on offense because we’re just going to turn up a lot of teams on defensively and go and try to get the bucket as fast as we can.”

Durango will have a similar schedule to last year, with nonleague tournaments in Farmington, Aztec and Canon City. In league play, Fruita Monument is expected to be the favorite after finishing 10-0 in the 6A/5A Southwestern League and 20-5 overall.

The Demons have a young roster, with no seniors and no freshmen. Batiste likes the chemistry he’s seen in practice so far. Even with a lot of inexperienced players at the varsity level, Batiste didn’t want to call this a rebuilding year.

“We’re young,” Batiste said. “But we have all basketball players, so that’s been one thing that I’ve been fortunate enough to have only a couple of years in my 16-year career. We’re young … but they’re hungry to go through something … they’re going to make young mistakes, they’re still going to play hard, and that’s what they’ve displayed so far.”

bkelly@durangoherald.com

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Atencio, Avila to power developing Bobcats girls basketball squad

Ignacio girls basketball head coach Travis Nanaeto illustrates his point during a timeout in last season’s road game at Bayfield. (Joel Priest/Special to the Herald)

Good enough to sneak into last season’s class 3A state tournament as the No. 29 seed in the opening Round of 32, but not strong enough to then upset fourth-seeded Cedaredge, Ignacio Bobcats girls basketball, young as most of the team was, at the very least gained extra experience which hopefully will come in handy this winter.

Without a pair of Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports All-State selections, a vital post presence and an important reserve – all since graduated – head coach Travis Nanaeto knows some big shoes need filling for the 2025-26 run. But between his returning varsity players and an influx of youth, volunteers to do so shouldn’t be in short supply.

“This year I have around nine freshmen that came in, nine juniors and a couple seniors,” Nanaeto said. “Maybe one sophomore, but that’s about it. I’ve got a young bunch and so we’re getting things in order. Got a lot of things to work on, but we’re doing pretty good.”

Joined on the bench by new assistant coach Stephanie Goodtracks and new junior varsity head coach Gabriela Garcia, Nanaeto will look to build his squad around senior guard Alyssa Atencio and senior guard/forward Juliann Avila – the on-paper replacements for CCGS selections Marissa Olguin and Victoria Brown, respectively.

Guard/forward DaLaney Wesner also finished her IHS career last season, as did backup forward/center Addison Kremer, allowing now-junior F/C Catori Aasland to contend for a starting role in ’25-26. Classmate Aubree Lucero received more and more minutes as the ’24-25 grind began winding down, and is also poised to potentially join Nanaeto’s first five.

Junior guard/forward Maliyah Martinez, sophomore post Veronica Brown and junior guard Leandra Litz could also be in the mix as Ignacio looks to build upon last winter’s 8-15 record – which included a fifth-place 4-8 mark in 3A/4A Intermountain League play.

“We’re working hard, with a lot more conditioning,” Nanaeto said. “Because for the young girls this is high school basketball, not junior high, and they’ll play girls a lot older so I’m telling them ‘Just toughen up!’”

Tipoff time versus Mancos on Tuesday is scheduled for 6 p.m., with the Jays finishing 7-13 overall last season.

After facing Mancos, Ignacio will then venture into the San Luis Valley to compete at Center’s 12/12-13 C-Town Showdown. Awaiting the Bobcats at 8 p.m. on its first day will be Blanca-based Sierra Grande, which went 6-0 in the 1A Southern Peaks last season and ended up 14-10 overall.

“I’m glad we’re playing two schools there; I’m hoping to be even with them, you know?” said Nanaeto. “And get a little experience for our younger ones, to get them ready for the Aztec tournament.”

Indeed, IHS’ next stop after Center will be Aztec, New Mexico’s Rumble in ‘The Jungle,’ Dec. 18-20.

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More than 20 Santas paddle boarded from Pleon Yacht Club to Riverside Beach and then State Street Landing Sunday morning. The annual tradition raises money for the Marblehead Food Pantry. This year, a polar bear and even the Grinch joined in.

On Saturday, about 300 people packed State Street Landing to welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus as they arrived by lobster boat. The North Pole couple was greeted by cheers and a live performance of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” by the Marblehead High School chorus.

Children perched on their parents’ shoulders to catch a glimpse of the holiday magic. Lisa Cox, who recently relocated to Marblehead with her family, was excited to take part in the tradition.

“We just moved here this past summer. Last year, we knew we wanted to move to Marblehead and came to see the parade, and now we get to come as locals,” Cox said.

The group’s children — Ciaran, Camden and Coley — shared their wish lists, which included sports gear, remote-control cars, paint and an Apple Watch.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus chatted about their morning on the water.

“We had a beautiful day. We heard there was something called gale-force winds. I kept saying to the elves, ‘What is a gale-force wind?’ And they go, ‘Not good.’ But we ended up with a beautiful day. Perfect, even,” Mrs. Claus said.

This year marks the final Christmas Walk for Mary Best, Mrs. Claus’ longtime “helper” of more than 40 years. She hinted at a reveal coming in 2025.

“There’s going to be a big surprise next year as I hand down the magic cape. There will be a special reward,” she said.

A little later, Glover’s Regiment led the parade, followed by community groups, local businesses, youth sports teams and people driving antique cars. Hundreds of people lined the streets, cheering them on.

Here’s a photo and video gallery of the weekend’s highlights. Enjoy!

Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The CYO Basketball League held games at the CYO MIV Community Center in Prince’s Bay on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025.

Big passes, big baskets, and big smiles were the order of the day as players competed.

The boys’ 5th-grade St. Clare’s team came out on top over Holy Rosary by a final score of 26-14. Next, the boys’ 3rd-grade St. Clare’s team fell to Holy Family 15-10.

Check out the gallery below for the best photos of the day.

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