Jeff Helminiak

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4 area riders compete in Iron Dog

Four area riders competed in the Iron Dog, a 2,500-mile snowmachine race that started Feb. 15 and ended Saturday, Feb. 22. The race started in… Continue reading

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Austin Vanderford wins a fight. (Photo courtesy of Lucas Noonan/Bellator)

Ninilchik’s Vanderford wins UFC debut

Austin Vanderford, a 2008 graduate of Ninilchik School, won his UFC debut Saturday, Feb. 22, in Seattle. Vanderford won 4 minutes, 13 seconds, into the… Continue reading

Austin Vanderford wins a fight. (Photo courtesy of Lucas Noonan/Bellator)
Owen Braband, Hyrum Henderson and Ian McGarry of Cook Inlet Academy celebrate a victory over Soldotna at the Revolution Sport and Spine Therapy Al Howard Shootout on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Class 1A Peninsula Conference to take place at Cook Inlet Academy from Thursday to Saturday

The Class 1A Peninsula Conference tournament will be held at Cook Inlet Academy just outside of Soldotna from Thursday to Saturday, Feb. 27 to March… Continue reading

Owen Braband, Hyrum Henderson and Ian McGarry of Cook Inlet Academy celebrate a victory over Soldotna at the Revolution Sport and Spine Therapy Al Howard Shootout on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
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Tuesday hoops: Homer sweeps Nikiski

The host Homer girls and boys basketball teams swept Nikiski on Tuesday in Peninsula Conference action. The Homer girls won 41-37 to move to 1-5… Continue reading

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The Homer girls and boys ski teams won Division II state titles Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Birch Hill in Fairbanks, Alaska. (Photo provided)

Complete state ski wrapup: Homer girls sweep DII titles, SoHi girls take 3rd

The Homer girls and boys swept the Division II team titles at the state Nordic ski championships at Birch Hill in Fairbanks on Saturday, while… Continue reading

The Homer girls and boys ski teams won Division II state titles Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Birch Hill in Fairbanks, Alaska. (Photo provided)
Soldotna junior Tania Boonstra (far left) took second in the girls 5-kilometer classic interval start Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, at the state Nordic ski championships at Birch Hill in Fairbanks, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Chip Abolafia)

State skiing: Homer sweeps Division II team titles; Soldotna girls take 3rd overall

The Homer girls and boys swept the Division II team titles at the state Nordic ski championships at Birch Hill in Fairbanks on Saturday, while… Continue reading

Soldotna junior Tania Boonstra (far left) took second in the girls 5-kilometer classic interval start Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, at the state Nordic ski championships at Birch Hill in Fairbanks, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Chip Abolafia)
Soldotna's Hope Hillyer shoots against Grace Christian's MJ Van der horst on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Saturday hoops roundup: Grace sweeps Soldotna

The visiting Grace Christian girls and boys basketball teams swept Soldotna on Saturday. The girls won 58-12 in nonconference action to improve to 15-4 overall… Continue reading

Soldotna's Hope Hillyer shoots against Grace Christian's MJ Van der horst on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
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Brown Bears get 3 points out of 2-game series with Wilderness

The visiting Kenai River Brown Bears picked up three points in a two-game series with the Minnesota Wilderness on Friday and Saturday in North American… Continue reading

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Ninilchik's Brandt Mill tries to steal the ball from Seward's Talon Lemme on Friday, February 21, 2025, at Ninilchik School in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Friday hoops: Ninilchik’s Kade McCorison scores 55 in loss to Seward; Homer boys clinch state berth

The visiting Seward boys basketball team defeated Ninilchik 85-66 on Friday in Southern Conference action as the Seahawks survived a school-record 55 points from Ninilchik… Continue reading

Ninilchik's Brandt Mill tries to steal the ball from Seward's Talon Lemme on Friday, February 21, 2025, at Ninilchik School in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna's Ariana Cannava skis her team to third place in the 4-by-3-kilometer relay at the state Nordic ski meet at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Danika Winslow)

Friday: Boonstra finishes 3rd, Cannava 10th, in state Skimeister standings

Soldotna junior Tania Boonstra finished third in the state Skimeister standings Friday at the state Nordic ski championships at Birch Hill in Fairbanks. Boonstra had… Continue reading

Soldotna's Ariana Cannava skis her team to third place in the 4-by-3-kilometer relay at the state Nordic ski meet at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Danika Winslow)
Dylan Dahlgren, Galen Brantley III and Adarra Hagelund at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships in Brookings, South Dakota. (Photo provided)

Soldotna grads help Dickinson State track to big day

Soldotna graduates Adarra Hagelund, Dylan Dahlgren and Galen Brantley III all had big days for Dickinson State (North Dakota) on Sunday, Feb. 16, at the… Continue reading

Dylan Dahlgren, Galen Brantley III and Adarra Hagelund at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships in Brookings, South Dakota. (Photo provided)
Soldotna's Tania Boonstra races towards the finish chute during the Region III Girls 7.5K Classic Race at Tsalteshi Trails near Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Thursday: SoHi’s Boonstra takes second at classic ski race at state

Soldotna junior Tania Boonstra led the Kenai Peninsula at the first day of the state Nordic ski championships at Birch Hill in Fairbanks by taking… Continue reading

Soldotna's Tania Boonstra races towards the finish chute during the Region III Girls 7.5K Classic Race at Tsalteshi Trails near Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
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Thursday hoops: Grace girls topple Homer

The visiting Grace Christian girls basketball team notched a 63-16 Peninsula Conference victory over Homer on Thursday. The Mariners are 0-4 in the league and… Continue reading

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Monday basketball: Sewards sweeps Unalaska

The Seward girls and boys basketball teams swept Unalaska on Monday in Southern Conference action in Seward. The red-hot Seward girls won 47-18, winning for… Continue reading

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Soldotna's Ariana Cannava, Tania Boonstra and Kate Cox approach the finish line in the lead of the 4-kilometer freestyle girls race at the Kenai Peninsula Borough meet Saturday, February 15, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna girls, boys sweep festive borough ski meet

The Soldotna girls and boys cross-country skiing teams swept the Kenai Peninsula Borough meet team titles Saturday at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna. There… Continue reading

Soldotna's Ariana Cannava, Tania Boonstra and Kate Cox approach the finish line in the lead of the 4-kilometer freestyle girls race at the Kenai Peninsula Borough meet Saturday, February 15, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Marcarius Evans of Nanwalek celebrates a victory over Cook Inlet Academy on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at Cook Inlet Academy just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Saturday hoops roundup: Nanwalek boys shock Cook Inlet Academy

The Cook Inlet Academy girls and Nanwalek boys notched Peninsula Conference victories Saturday at senior night at Cook Inlet Academy. The CIA girls won 50-27… Continue reading

Marcarius Evans of Nanwalek celebrates a victory over Cook Inlet Academy on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at Cook Inlet Academy just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kylie Northington of Nikiski JV brings the ball up against Ninilchik's Audry Herndon at the Keith Presley Memorial Tournament on Friday, February 14, 2025, at Ninilchik School in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Friday hoops roundup: Ninilchik girls, boys both win at Presley tourney

The Ninilchik girls and boys basketball teams both separated themselves from the competition with tough, physical basketball Friday night at Ninilchik School. Keith Presley would… Continue reading

Kylie Northington of Nikiski JV brings the ball up against Ninilchik's Audry Herndon at the Keith Presley Memorial Tournament on Friday, February 14, 2025, at Ninilchik School in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
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Brown Bears pick up 1 point in weekend series with Jets

The Kenai River Brown Bears lost twice on the weekend on the road to the Janesville (Wisconsin) Jets in North American Hockey League play, falling… Continue reading

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Soldotna's Kenai Lepule (55) was one of the players of the game at the Division II state championship at Colony High School in Palmer, Alaska, on October 26, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi’s Lepule to play football at Eastern New Mexico University

Soldotna senior Kenai Lepule signed in early February at play football at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales. The Greyounds play Division II football in… Continue reading

Soldotna's Kenai Lepule (55) was one of the players of the game at the Division II state championship at Colony High School in Palmer, Alaska, on October 26, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
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Thursday hoops roundup: Presley tourney gets going in Ninilchik

The Tok girls, Ninilchik boys, and Unalaska girls and boys picked up victories on the first day of the first edition of the Keith Presley… Continue reading

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