Jeff Helminiak

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai's Sam Combs is tagged out trying to steal third base in the second inning by Colony's Zachary Satterly on Thursday at the Southcentral Conference tournament at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.

Wasilla, Soldotna to clash for Southcentral baseball crown

The top two seeds in the Southcentral Conference tournament will clash for the title at 7 p.m. tonight at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai's Sam Combs is tagged out trying to steal third base in the second inning by Colony's Zachary Satterly on Thursday at the Southcentral Conference tournament at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central midfielder Zack Tuttle (23) heads the ball amid a group of Colony defenders Saturday, May 21, at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. The Kenai boys won the Northern Lights Conference championship with a 3-1 victory over Colony.

State soccer preview: Can Kenai teams, SoHi boys, make peninsula history?

Despite the limitations of school size and lack of access to a year-round playing surface, Kenai Peninsula schools will try to keep making their presence… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central midfielder Zack Tuttle (23) heads the ball amid a group of Colony defenders Saturday, May 21, at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. The Kenai boys won the Northern Lights Conference championship with a 3-1 victory over Colony.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna pitcher Matthew Daugherty delivers a strike to a Kenai Central batter Wednesday at the Kenai Little League Fields.

Trio of Peninsula baseball teams ready to bat at region tourney

When the Southcentral Conference baseball tournament boots up from today to Saturday in Kenai, Kenai Peninsula nines will try and shake off a state drought… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna pitcher Matthew Daugherty delivers a strike to a Kenai Central batter Wednesday at the Kenai Little League Fields.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sophomore Zack Tuttle dribbles the ball away from a Nikiski defender April 19 at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. The Kardinals are hosting the Northern Lights Conference tournament today through Saturday.

Kenai soccer squads head into home region tourney as top seeds

Thanks to a warm spring and artificial turf, the Kenai Central girls and boys soccer teams have played a once-unthinkable 10 varsity matches apiece this… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sophomore Zack Tuttle dribbles the ball away from a Nikiski defender April 19 at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. The Kardinals are hosting the Northern Lights Conference tournament today through Saturday.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Cody Quelland is hit by a pitch in the third inning of Thursday's 9-2 victory over Houston at Soldotna LIttle League fields.

SoHi pitchers shine again in defeating Houston

The pitching and defense of the Soldotna baseball team kept shining as the Stars defeated Houston 9-2 in Southcentral Conference action Thursday at the Soldotna… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Cody Quelland is hit by a pitch in the third inning of Thursday's 9-2 victory over Houston at Soldotna LIttle League fields.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna right fielder Alicia McClelland can't catch up to a triple by Kenai Central's Darcy Blume in the bottom of the second inning Wednesday, May 11, 2016, at Steve Shearer Memorial Ball Park in Kenai.

SoHi softball defeats Kenai, clinches berth to state

A long wait is over for the Soldotna softball team thanks, in part, to patience.The Stars clinched their first berth to the small-schools state softball… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna right fielder Alicia McClelland can't catch up to a triple by Kenai Central's Darcy Blume in the bottom of the second inning Wednesday, May 11, 2016, at Steve Shearer Memorial Ball Park in Kenai.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Malina Fellows slides under the tag of Soldotna third baseman Ember Lohrke on Tuesday, May 10, 2016, at the Soldotna Little League fields.

Homer’s bats come on to defeat SoHi in softball

The Homer softball team defeated Soldotna 15-4 in five innings Tuesday at the Soldotna Little League fields in a battle of Northern Lights Conference unbeatens.The… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Malina Fellows slides under the tag of Soldotna third baseman Ember Lohrke on Tuesday, May 10, 2016, at the Soldotna Little League fields.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski goalie Brianna Vollertsen stretches for a save Monday at Nikiski High School in front of Kenai Central's Sam Morse and Nikiski's Avery Kornstad.

Kenai soccer sweeps Nikiski

Nikiski girls soccer coach Troy Zimmerman is trying to convince his team of just how much they have improved this season. The scores continue to… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski goalie Brianna Vollertsen stretches for a save Monday at Nikiski High School in front of Kenai Central's Sam Morse and Nikiski's Avery Kornstad.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Joey Becher dives for first base just before Kenai Central first baseman XXX catches the ball Wednesday at the Kenai Little League fields.

SoHi baseball escapes stronger Kenai team with win

The Soldotna baseball team kept its perfect record, while the Kenai Central baseball team kept getting better.The Stars topped the Kardinals 11-7 on Wednesday at… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Joey Becher dives for first base just before Kenai Central first baseman XXX catches the ball Wednesday at the Kenai Little League fields.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Kyle Johnson (17) tags home plate to score a run behind Kenai Central catcher Taylor Landry Tuesday evening at the Kenai Little League Fields.

Homer baseball escapes Kenai with victory

The Homer baseball team got five runs from batters who had reached on walks in defeating Kenai Central 10-8 on Tuesday in Southcentral Conference action… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Kyle Johnson (17) tags home plate to score a run behind Kenai Central catcher Taylor Landry Tuesday evening at the Kenai Little League Fields.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central pitcher Gavin Petterson delivers a pitch to Soldotna batter Matthew Daugherty Tuesday at the Soldotna ball fields.

SoHi baseball wins big over Kenai

The Soldotna baseball team showed off its depth and experience in a 13-3 victory in five innings over Kenai Central on Tuesday at the Soldotna… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central pitcher Gavin Petterson delivers a pitch to Soldotna batter Matthew Daugherty Tuesday at the Soldotna ball fields.
Clarion file photo Delaney Crosby-Schneider takes a ball last season. Crosby-Schneider and an experienced group return for the Stars this season.

Softball preview 2016: Kenai, SoHi try to shake up conference; Homer wants to keep things the same

Homer is fine with the status quo in the Northern Lights Conference, while Kenai Central and Soldotna are looking to shake things up a little.The… Continue reading

Clarion file photo Delaney Crosby-Schneider takes a ball last season. Crosby-Schneider and an experienced group return for the Stars this season.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central striker Samantha Morse (center, white) taps the ball over a crowd of Nikiski defenders for a goal Tuesday evening at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Kenai soccer sweeps Nikiski, SoHi sweeps Homer

The host Kenai Central soccer teams swept Nikiski on Tuesday, with the boys winning 5-1 and the girls taking a 7-0 decision. It was the… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central striker Samantha Morse (center, white) taps the ball over a crowd of Nikiski defenders for a goal Tuesday evening at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Molly Streich, of Kenai, hits an approach shot to the eighth green at Kenai Golf Course on Sunday as Billy Anderson, of Nikiski, observes. When Streich asked Anderson if he wanted to golf Sunday, Anderson didn't believe the course was open. The course opened Tuesday, the earliest opening ever.

Birch Ridge, Kenai Golf Course set records for early opening dates

It’s a rite of spring enjoyed by golfers in the northern half of the Lower 48 — watch the Masters on Sunday, get out and… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Molly Streich, of Kenai, hits an approach shot to the eighth green at Kenai Golf Course on Sunday as Billy Anderson, of Nikiski, observes. When Streich asked Anderson if he wanted to golf Sunday, Anderson didn't believe the course was open. The course opened Tuesday, the earliest opening ever.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sweeper Kylie Morse (left) battles for the ball with South Anchorage's Alex Ott Saturday afternoon at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Friday soccer: South sweeps SoHi

In the past, when the Soldotna soccer teams learned what it is like to take the field with state behemoth South, the season was pretty… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sweeper Kylie Morse (left) battles for the ball with South Anchorage's Alex Ott Saturday afternoon at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Brown Bears season review: Worlton’s solution for Bears – win

The plan of Kenai River Brown Bears head coach Jeff Worlton to turn around the organization is as simple to say as it is hard… Continue reading

Lowery takes Kenai football job in search of community

There are a number of things that jump out when reviewing a list of new Kenai Central head football coach Davis Lowery’s accomplishments.But to departing… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Eagle River's Dylan Johnson battles for the ball with Kenai Central's Ean Atchley while the Kardinals' Rykker Riddall watches Friday, April 8, 2016, at Kenai Central High School.

Kenai soccer sweeps Eagle River

The host Kenai Central soccer teams swept nonconference games from Eagle River on Friday, with the boys pulling away for a 4-0 victory and the… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Eagle River's Dylan Johnson battles for the ball with Kenai Central's Ean Atchley while the Kardinals' Rykker Riddall watches Friday, April 8, 2016, at Kenai Central High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sophomore Zack Tuttle (23) heads the ball amid a pack of players Wednesday against Homer at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. The Kardinals defeated the Mariners 4-0.

Boys soccer preview: What a difference the turf makes

The difference artificial turf makes in the soccer season is clear on the central Kenai Peninsula — Soldotna and Kenai Central have been practicing outside… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sophomore Zack Tuttle (23) heads the ball amid a pack of players Wednesday against Homer at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. The Kardinals defeated the Mariners 4-0.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Sophomore Rykker Riddall sets the record in the Freshmen/Sophomore Clean on Wednesday in the Speed and Strength Training competition. At left, yelling encouragement, is Riddall's father, Ted Riddall.

SST competition continues to gain strength

With music pumping through the air, the bleachers strewn with enthusiastic spectators and a couple of world-champion discoveries to its credit, it was hard to… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Sophomore Rykker Riddall sets the record in the Freshmen/Sophomore Clean on Wednesday in the Speed and Strength Training competition. At left, yelling encouragement, is Riddall's father, Ted Riddall.