Jeff Helminiak

Season wrestling preview: Homer has new head coach, but same stack of talent

Bethel upped the ante last season at the Division II state wrestling tournament. This year, Homer appears ready to return the favor. In 2015, Homer… Continue reading

Nikiski’s Justin Cox controls Kenai Central’s Brandon Kroto on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, at the Luke Spruill Memorial Tournament at Kenai Central High School. Cox took a 13-1 major decision en route to winning first at 138 pounds. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer captures Luke Spruill tourney

The oddest feature of the prep sports calendar was on display Saturday at Kenai Central High School, when the Homer wrestling team accepted the team… Continue reading

Nikiski’s Justin Cox controls Kenai Central’s Brandon Kroto on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, at the Luke Spruill Memorial Tournament at Kenai Central High School. Cox took a 13-1 major decision en route to winning first at 138 pounds. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Bears get swept in Bismarck, ready to head home

The Kenai River Brown Bears are glad to be coming home. The Brown Bears were swept Friday and Saturday by the host Bismarck (North Dakota)… Continue reading

Nikiski High School athletic director Dylan Hooper strains to hold up Nikiski junior Justin Cox with his beard Tuesday at Nikiski High School. Hooper was attempting to set a world record for most weight pulled by a facial beard, and tentatively broke the standing record of 140 pounds by pulling 145.9 pounds, the body weight of Cox. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikiski’s Hooper sets world record for most weight pulled by beard

It was in 2005 in Dillingham that Nikiski athletic director Dylan Hooper discovered he had a special talent. After wrestling practice one day, someone got… Continue reading

Nikiski High School athletic director Dylan Hooper strains to hold up Nikiski junior Justin Cox with his beard Tuesday at Nikiski High School. Hooper was attempting to set a world record for most weight pulled by a facial beard, and tentatively broke the standing record of 140 pounds by pulling 145.9 pounds, the body weight of Cox. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski duo Rylee Jackson (10) and Jamie Yerkes (9) block a shot from Soldotna’s Ella Stenga, Tuesday at Nikiski High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikiski survives in 5 sets over SoHi

Dylan Hooper’s beard and the Nikiski volleyball team held strong when it counted. On a senior night when Hooper held enough weight from his beard… Continue reading

Nikiski duo Rylee Jackson (10) and Jamie Yerkes (9) block a shot from Soldotna’s Ella Stenga, Tuesday at Nikiski High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Brenner Furlong turns upfield after eluding Kenai’s Jarett Wilson on a kickoff return Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna football defeats Kenai

Kenai Central had a few things go right, but not everything, and that’s what it would have taken to stage an audacious upset of the… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Brenner Furlong turns upfield after eluding Kenai’s Jarett Wilson on a kickoff return Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Brittani Blossom digs up a ball for Soldotna on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna volleyball sweeps Kenai

Kenai Central had more seniors, but Soldotna had more experience. The SoHi volleyball team scored a 3-0 sweep of the Kardinals on Cliff Massie Court… Continue reading

Brittani Blossom digs up a ball for Soldotna on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

State cross-country preview: Homer seeks another sweep

There’s easy cross-country spectating and hard cross-country spectating. Easy is figuring out the winner in the individual race. Hard, assuming it is relatively close, is… Continue reading

Nikiski volleyball sweeps Kenai

The Nikiski volleyball team has a rare talent for being able to turn it on when times are tough. Coach Stacey Segura likes it, and… Continue reading

Sondra Stonecipher runs in the Kenai River half-marathon on Sunday, Sept. 24 near Kenai.

Kenai River Marathon makes strides

One did it using a handcycle after breaking his back seven years ago. Others competed after coaching at — or even running in — the… Continue reading

Sondra Stonecipher runs in the Kenai River half-marathon on Sunday, Sept. 24 near Kenai.
Kenai Central’s Riana Boonstra follows right behind teammate Addison Gibson during the final meters of the Division I girls’ race of the Region III Championships Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017, at the Government Peak Recreation Area near Palmer. Gibson held on to win the region title. Kenai also won the girls’ team title.

Kenai girls, Homer girls, Gibson win region titles

A pair of epic streaks came to an end Saturday at the Region III cross-country meet at the Government Peak Recreation Area near Palmer, but… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Riana Boonstra follows right behind teammate Addison Gibson during the final meters of the Division I girls’ race of the Region III Championships Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017, at the Government Peak Recreation Area near Palmer. Gibson held on to win the region title. Kenai also won the girls’ team title.
Kodiak’s Talon Lindquist competes in the 50-yard breaststroke Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Soldotna Pentathlon at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kodiak’s Lindquist, Homer’s Story capture Pentathlon crowns

It was out with the relative old and in with the new Friday at the SoHi Pentathlon. Kodiak senior Talon Lindquist won his fourth Pentathlon… Continue reading

Kodiak’s Talon Lindquist competes in the 50-yard breaststroke Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at the Soldotna Pentathlon at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Tough course to greet Region III runners

In the land where mountains are often used as venues for running races, calling the Government Peak Recreation Area, site of Saturday’s Region III cross-country… Continue reading

Bears ready to drop puck on 2017-18 season

Today at 7 a.m. ADT at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota, the puck will drop on a 2017-18 Kenai River Brown Bears season… Continue reading

Seward sweeps Kenai Central in volleyball

The host Kenai Central volleyball team was looking to build on a positive weekend at the West Spiketacular, but ran into mostly disappointment Tuesday in… Continue reading

Kenai boys, SoHi girls swim to Kenai Invite crowns

Kenai boys, SoHi girls swim to Kenai Invite crowns

The Soldotna girls and Kenai Central boys used different methods to win the Kenai Invitational on Friday and Saturday at Kenai Central High School. The… Continue reading

Kenai boys, SoHi girls swim to Kenai Invite crowns
Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Preston Weeks controls the puck last season at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. Weeks has been named captain of this year’s team. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears name Weeks captain, get ready for scrimmage

In the rough and tumble world of the North American Hockey League, everybody is seldom a winner. The rare exception will come tonight and Saturday… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Preston Weeks controls the puck last season at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. Weeks has been named captain of this year’s team. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Fall Brawl features local flavor

The Fall Brawl tonight at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex will have a distinct local flavor. There will be nine fights in various disciplines, from… Continue reading

Kenai Central High School runner Maison Dunham pulls ahead of the pack nearing the end of the varisy boys race at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Cross-Country Running Championships on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. Soldotna High School took first overall out of the varsity boys teams, and the Kenai team claimed the top spot for the girls. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Kenai girls, SoHi boys win borough cross-country titles

The Kenai Central girls and boys took three of the four championships Tuesday at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Cross-Country Running Championships at Lookout Mountain in… Continue reading

Kenai Central High School runner Maison Dunham pulls ahead of the pack nearing the end of the varisy boys race at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Cross-Country Running Championships on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. Soldotna High School took first overall out of the varsity boys teams, and the Kenai team claimed the top spot for the girls. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Stars finish 2-1 on NLC homestand

Stars finish 2-1 on NLC homestand

The Colony and Soldotna volleyball teams played in a five-game match for the first time this season Friday, and it showed. Pressure was a factor… Continue reading

Stars finish 2-1 on NLC homestand