Jeff Helminiak

Andy Liebner, a 2001 Soldotna High School graduate, and German Madrazo, a Mexican Olympic cross-country skier coached by Liebner, stand together at FIS races in Cerro Catedral, Argentina, in September 2017. (Photo provided by Andy Liebner)

Provoking passion: SoHi grad Liebner returns to Olympics as cross-country ski coach

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach… Continue reading

Andy Liebner, a 2001 Soldotna High School graduate, and German Madrazo, a Mexican Olympic cross-country skier coached by Liebner, stand together at FIS races in Cerro Catedral, Argentina, in September 2017. (Photo provided by Andy Liebner)
Soldotna’s Sam McElroy goes up for a shot in front of Kodiak’s Sam Glairdo (11) and other defenders Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi boys return to beat Kodiak

The host Soldotna boys basketball team overcame a slow start to defeat Kodiak 45-40 in Northern Lights Conference action Wednesday. The Stars move to 9-10… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Sam McElroy goes up for a shot in front of Kodiak’s Sam Glairdo (11) and other defenders Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Sara Bundy (127), Mary King (121) and Patricia Berkhahn (125) lead a group of skiers Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, at the Ski For Women at Tsalteshi Trails. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Skiers brave cold at Ski For Women

Chisato Johnson won the vote for the best costume Sunday at the Ski For Women at Tsalteshi Trails. Her sumo wrestling costume also was undoubtedly… Continue reading

Sara Bundy (127), Mary King (121) and Patricia Berkhahn (125) lead a group of skiers Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, at the Ski For Women at Tsalteshi Trails. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kodiak’s Katrina Pruitt and Kenai Central’s Liz Hanson battle for the ball Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai girls, Kodiak boys get weekend sweep

The Kenai Central girls basketball team outscored Kodiak 15-2 over the last five minutes of the game for a 46-27 Northern Lights Conference victory at… Continue reading

Kodiak’s Katrina Pruitt and Kenai Central’s Liz Hanson battle for the ball Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminak/Peninsula Clarion)
Judah Eason, of Ninilchik, wins the Senior Boys Alaskan High Kick on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, at Kenai Middle School at the 2018 Peninsula Winter Games Kenaizte Indian Tribe NYO Invitational. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

NYO tourney emphasizes community, sportsmanship

Imagine a high school basketball game in the closing seconds. A player steps to the line for a pair of foul shots with his team… Continue reading

Judah Eason, of Ninilchik, wins the Senior Boys Alaskan High Kick on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, at Kenai Middle School at the 2018 Peninsula Winter Games Kenaizte Indian Tribe NYO Invitational. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River’s Zach Krajnik, of Eagle River, prepares to dish to Emils Ezitis for the first goal of the game Friday, Jan. 19, 2018, against the Lone Star (Texas) Brahmas at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brahmas sweep Brown Bears

Dan Wildfong, head coach of the Lone Star (Texas) Brahmas, said after his team’s 4-3 victory over the Kenai River Brown Bears on Friday that… Continue reading

Kenai River’s Zach Krajnik, of Eagle River, prepares to dish to Emils Ezitis for the first goal of the game Friday, Jan. 19, 2018, against the Lone Star (Texas) Brahmas at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Brahmas

So far, so good with the Kenai River Brown Bears’ plan to treat the rest of the North American Hockey League season as one long… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears goaltender Gavin Enright attempts to reel in the puck ahead of a scrum of players Oct. 27, 2017, against the Minnesota Magicians at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears’ Enright makes most of opportunities

Some people get all the breaks. But nobody would even know who those people are if they didn’t make good on those opportunities. Take Kenai… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears goaltender Gavin Enright attempts to reel in the puck ahead of a scrum of players Oct. 27, 2017, against the Minnesota Magicians at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River forward Sacha Guillemain takes the puck up the ice Friday night against the Coulee Region (Wisconsin) Chill at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears sweep Chill

The Kenai River Brown Bears earned maximum points in a crucial stretch of the North American Hockey League playoff chase Friday and Saturday, sweeping the… Continue reading

Kenai River forward Sacha Guillemain takes the puck up the ice Friday night against the Coulee Region (Wisconsin) Chill at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Chill

Kenai River Brown Bears head coach Josh Petrich has called for a greater sense of urgency from the coaching staff all the way through the… Continue reading

Staying home for high school pays off for Krajnik

Should I stay or should I go? That’s the question faced by many of Alaska’s top prep hockey players. Stay in Alaska and they don’t… Continue reading

When bad conditions become challenging conditions

“It is not competing against yourself, or against other athletes, but it is ultimately the mountain that wins. What you realize after a time is… Continue reading

Class 1A hoops preview: Nikolaevsk, Ninilchik lead the way into 2018

Husband and wife team Steve and Bea Klaich have built a basketball juggernaut in Nikolaevsk, and now just one man at rival Ninilchik will be… Continue reading

Nikolaevsk’s Elizabeth Fefelov holds off a steal attempt by Cook Inlet Academy’s Breona Delon on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at Cook Inlet Academy. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikolaevsk girls, boys sweep Classic titles

The Nikolaevsk boys basketball team wrapped up the Cook Inlet Classic title at Cook Inlet Academy in early and convincing fashion Friday, defeating Kodiak ESS… Continue reading

Nikolaevsk’s Elizabeth Fefelov holds off a steal attempt by Cook Inlet Academy’s Breona Delon on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at Cook Inlet Academy. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Chugiak’s Snell wins Gatorade Player of Year

Chugiak senior Derryk Snell won the Gatorade Alaska Boys Football Player of the Year on Monday. Soldotna senior Brenner Furlong was looking to become the… Continue reading

Fight Before Christmas 2 set for Saturday

Whether it is inside the ring or out, Mat Plant of Power Plant Productions continues to find a way to squeeze more variety into his… Continue reading

Freezer Food Series to bring regular winter races to Tsalteshi Trails

The Salmon Run Series has finished its sixth season. The Soldotna Cycle series, though it has had other names, has completed its fifth season. Cyclocross… Continue reading

Homer skater Dimitry Kuzmin (right) pulls the puck around Soldotna goaltender Kenzie Powell Tuesday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Tuesday: Homer hockey dominates SoHi

The Homer hockey team that has been making waves across the state debuted on the central Kenai Peninsula on Tuesday night and did not disappoint.… Continue reading

Homer skater Dimitry Kuzmin (right) pulls the puck around Soldotna goaltender Kenzie Powell Tuesday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central’s Karl Danielson double-poles up a hill on his way to victory Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, at the Tsalteshi Classic Invitational at Tsalteshi Trails. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai’s Danielson, Homer’s Daigle win Tsalteshi Classic

Early winter on the central Kenai Peninsula has featured an uncommonly high number of perfect days for classic skiing — days with beautifully set tracks… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Karl Danielson double-poles up a hill on his way to victory Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, at the Tsalteshi Classic Invitational at Tsalteshi Trails. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s JD Schmelzenbach battles with Wasilla’s McKinley Larson and Langston Bouma for the puck Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Wasilla skaters top SoHi

The Soldotna hockey team lost to Wasilla 6-2 on Friday and Colony 7-2 on Saturday in North Star Conference hockey action at the Soldotna Regional… Continue reading

Soldotna’s JD Schmelzenbach battles with Wasilla’s McKinley Larson and Langston Bouma for the puck Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)