Jeff Helminiak

Saturday hoops roundup

The Soldotna boys wrapped up a 1-2 weekend at the Joe T. Classic tournament in Fairbank with a 48-46 loss to Eielson Saturday at Lathrop… Continue reading

Basketball roundup

Staff report The Kenai Central boys basketball team opened the Alaska Prep Shootout at Dimond High School on Thursday with a 54-48 victory over Grace… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion First-year Cook Inlet Academy boys head coach Ryan McMilin keeps a close eye on the action, Dec. 15, at the CIA Classic Tournament in Soldotna.

Peninsula Conference basketball preview: Chasing the Ninilchik boys

The task before the Peninsula Conference, and all of Class 1A boys basketball for that matter, was neatly summed up on the opening weekend of… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion First-year Cook Inlet Academy boys head coach Ryan McMilin keeps a close eye on the action, Dec. 15, at the CIA Classic Tournament in Soldotna.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Sam McElroy goes up for a shot against Ninilchik's Austin White on Friday at Soldotna High School.

Dimond boys knock off Ninilchik for Tip-Off crown

When Ninilchik coach Nick Finley loaded his schedule with teams from bigger schools, this is what he had in mind. The Wolverines, from the smallest… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Sam McElroy goes up for a shot against Ninilchik's Austin White on Friday at Soldotna High School.

Variety is the spice of “Fight Before Christmas”

Variety is about to become the spice of the Kenai Peninsula fight scene.Mat Plant of Power Plant Productions is the only fight promoter currently operating… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Brenner Furlong squeezes past West's Will Troxel into the end zone for a third-quarter touchdown Friday at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna. The Stars won 49-30.

SoHi’s Furlong earns Gatorade Player of Year for Alaska in football

Since the first week of the 2012 season, the Soldotna football program has won everything there is to win — almost.The Stars are on a… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Brenner Furlong squeezes past West's Will Troxel into the end zone for a third-quarter touchdown Friday at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna. The Stars won 49-30.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion The Brown Bears mob goalie Robbie Goor after a 5-2 victory over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Brown Bears take Friday, Saturday contests from Ice Dogs

Breakthroughs often don’t come subtly. The Kenai River Brown Bears beat the rival Fairbanks Ice Dogs 5-2 on Friday and 6-3 on Saturday in North… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion The Brown Bears mob goalie Robbie Goor after a 5-2 victory over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Christopher Lipe, Luke Radetic, Lucas Carroll and Jonathan Marzec celebrate Radetic's goal in the second period Friday at the Soldotna Regiona Sports Complex.

Radetic restarts career with Brown Bears

Luke Radetic thought his hockey career might be over.Radetic grew up getting coached by one of the best American goal scorers of all time. He… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Christopher Lipe, Luke Radetic, Lucas Carroll and Jonathan Marzec celebrate Radetic's goal in the second period Friday at the Soldotna Regiona Sports Complex.

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Ice Dogs

Both the Kenai River Brown Bears and the Fairbanks Ice Dogs will look to snap lengthy losing streaks when the two teams face off this… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski's Ethan Hack prepares to pin Soldotna's Eli Floyd in an exhibtion match at 220 pounds Wednesday at Soldotna Prep.

Soldotna topples Nikiski in pre-Thanksgiving dual meet

Most say they’ll work off their Thanksgiving dinner. Wrestlers actually have to do it.The Soldotna wrestling team defeated Nikiski 60-21 on Wednesday in a dual… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski's Ethan Hack prepares to pin Soldotna's Eli Floyd in an exhibtion match at 220 pounds Wednesday at Soldotna Prep.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Springfield Jr. Blues defenseman Jack Nickels battles for the puck with Kenai River Brown Bears forward Ethan Stewart Friday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Jr. Blues sweep Brown Bears

The Springfield (Illinois) Jr. Blues held on for a gritty 3-2 victory over the Kenai River Brown Bears on Friday in North American Hockey League… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Springfield Jr. Blues defenseman Jack Nickels battles for the puck with Kenai River Brown Bears forward Ethan Stewart Friday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River forward Jonathan Marzec looks for a hole in the Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets defense Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Forward Marzec brings energy, passion to Brown Bears

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Jonathan Marzec is 5-foot-7. He got his start skating on ponds. He’s played a massive number of his games in… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River forward Jonathan Marzec looks for a hole in the Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets defense Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Blues

The Kenai River Brown Bears hope to solve their five-on-five problem when they face the Springfield (Illinois) Jr. Blues today and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River's Alex Dingeldein gets taken into the boards by Jack Gates of the Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Jets score weekend sweep of Brown Bears

The Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets swept the Kenai River Brown Bears on Friday and Saturday in North American Hockey League action at the Soldotna Regional Sports… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River's Alex Dingeldein gets taken into the boards by Jack Gates of the Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Kyle Wells reacts after hyperextending his wrist while wrestling Colony's Chayse Eby on Saturday in the championship dual at the Peninsula Duals at Nikiski High School. Wells fought through the injury to score a 7-6 victory.

Homer wins Peninsula Duals

The brain will overcome pain if the “Why?” is strong enough.That “Why?” is pretty strong for the Homer wrestling team right now.The Mariners defeated a… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Kyle Wells reacts after hyperextending his wrist while wrestling Colony's Chayse Eby on Saturday in the championship dual at the Peninsula Duals at Nikiski High School. Wells fought through the injury to score a 7-6 victory.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Talon Musgrave tries to escape from Kenai Central's Keyshawn McEnerney on Thursday at Soldotna Prep. McEnerney won by major decision in the 160-pound match.

Wrestling roundup: Soldotna beats Kenai; Homer tops Barrow

The Soldotna wrestling team defeated Kenai Central 48-18 on Thursday in a dual meet at Soldotna Prep.The Kardinals actually went 4-2 in contested matches during… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Talon Musgrave tries to escape from Kenai Central's Keyshawn McEnerney on Thursday at Soldotna Prep. McEnerney won by major decision in the 160-pound match.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River goaltender Bailey Seagraves prepares to make a glove save on Tyler Antonucci on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Goalie Seagraves finds his form with Brown Bears

Before the season, Kenai River Brown Bears head coach Jeff Worlton likened his team to the “Island of Misfit Toys.”“We’ve got guys that have tasted… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River goaltender Bailey Seagraves prepares to make a glove save on Tyler Antonucci on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Jets

The Kenai River Brown Bears continue a tough early season home slate when the North American Hockey League Midwest Division-leading Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets come to… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Tim Blakely and Soldotna's Braxton Urban try to corral the puck Friday in the Peninsula Ice Challenge at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Stars, Hawks pick up Friday wins at Ice Challenge

Soldotna coach Derek Urban said that, in a team huddle with the score tied 3-3 with Homer with just 14.3 seconds left in Friday’s Peninsula… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Tim Blakely and Soldotna's Braxton Urban try to corral the puck Friday in the Peninsula Ice Challenge at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Southcentral Conference volleyball tournament preview: Grace, Nikiski, Seward are top 3 heading into play

The regular season in the Southcentral Conference did a clear job of establishing the top three teams in the league this year. Now it is… Continue reading