Jeff Helminiak

Skiers take off for the men’s 40K freestyle race at Sunday’s Tour of Tsalteshi event just outside of Soldotna on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Out of the Office: Back in rhythm

At the beginning of February, I began reading “If Beale Street Could Talk” by James Baldwin. The first 100 pages were slow but worthwhile as… Continue reading

Skiers take off for the men’s 40K freestyle race at Sunday’s Tour of Tsalteshi event just outside of Soldotna on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Ninilchik’s Justin Trail drives to the basket against Kenai Central on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Ninilchik boys take top seed into Interior Conference tournament

The Ninilchik boys basketball team takes the top seed and an undefeated overall record into the Interior Conference tournament today through Saturday in Tok. The… Continue reading

Ninilchik’s Justin Trail drives to the basket against Kenai Central on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
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Brand-new Peninsula Conference tourney debuts

Staff report The brand-new Peninsula Conference basketball tournament will make its debut Thursday through Saturday at Kenai Central High School. Last season, Class 3A Kenai… Continue reading

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Hoops roundup: Lumen Christi sweeps Peninsula Conference titles again, Nanwalek boys clinch historic state berth

Lumen Christi swept the Peninsula Conference titles for the second straight year Friday at the conference tournament at Lumen Christi in Anchorage. The Archangels boys… Continue reading

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Ninilchik's Justin Trail saves the ball in front of Kenai Central's Luke Armstrong and Eli McCubbins on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Ninilchik boys top Kenai, complete perfect regular season

The visiting Ninilchik boys basketball team defeated Kenai Central 70-37 on Saturday in nonconference action to finish the regular season 21-0. “It means a lot… Continue reading

Ninilchik's Justin Trail saves the ball in front of Kenai Central's Luke Armstrong and Eli McCubbins on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Seward's Lena Jagielski passes under pressure from Jolie Widaman, Katelyn Morrison and Adarra Hagelund on Thursday, March 3, 2022, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Hoops roundup: SoHi sweeps Seward on senior night

The Soldotna girls and boys basketball teams celebrated senior night Thursday at Soldotna High School by sweeping Seward in nonconference action. The Soldotna girls topped… Continue reading

Seward's Lena Jagielski passes under pressure from Jolie Widaman, Katelyn Morrison and Adarra Hagelund on Thursday, March 3, 2022, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
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Peninsula to celebrate Hockey Week

The Kenai River Brown Bears, Kenai Peninsula Hockey Association and RedLine Sports are teaming up to celebrate USA Hockey’s Hockey Week Across America. Hockey Week… Continue reading

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SoHi C hoops teams topple CIA

The host Cook Inlet Academy girls and boys basketball teams lost games to Soldotna’s C team Tuesday as the Eagles tuned up for this weekend’s… Continue reading

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Ninilchik boys move to 19-0

The Ninilchik boys basketball team moved to 19-0 with a nonconference, 81-56 victory late Saturday over host Unalaska. The Wolverines jumped out to a 17-7… Continue reading

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Soldotna's Hudson Metcalf and Kenai Central's John Grossl wrestle at 182 pounds Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, at Kenai Central High School. Metcalf would pin Grossl. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Mousasi stops Vanderford, retains middleweight title

Staff report Austin Vanderford, a 2008 graduate of Ninilchik School, took the first loss of his pro mixed martial arts career Friday in Dublin, Ireland,… Continue reading

Soldotna's Hudson Metcalf and Kenai Central's John Grossl wrestle at 182 pounds Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, at Kenai Central High School. Metcalf would pin Grossl. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River Brown Bears forward Nick Stevens and Minnesota Magicians defenseman Evan Tanos battle for the puck in front of Minnesota Magicians goalie Josh Seeley on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears, Magicians split weekend series

The Kenai River Brown Bears split a weekend series with the Minnesota Magicians in North American Hockey League play at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Nick Stevens and Minnesota Magicians defenseman Evan Tanos battle for the puck in front of Minnesota Magicians goalie Josh Seeley on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central's Logan Satathite dribbles against Soldotna's Josie Sheridan on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Hoops roundup: Soldotna sweeps Kenai

The visiting Soldotna girls and boys basketball teams swept Kenai Central on Friday in nonconference play. The SoHi girls (8-12 overall) got revenge for an… Continue reading

Kenai Central's Logan Satathite dribbles against Soldotna's Josie Sheridan on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
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Kenai captures state ski hardware

The Kenai Central ski teams took home a bunch of hardware from the state ski meet at Birch Hill in Fairbanks on Saturday. Both the… Continue reading

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Chad Moore, left, and Travis Temple, right, prepare for the 2022 Iron Dog snow machine race. (Photo provided by Travis Temple)

Soldotna’s Kishbaugh takes 6th in Iron Dog

The Kenai Peninsula has a finisher in the Iron Dog again. For the first time since Soldotna’s Cory Davis won the cross-country snowmachine race in… Continue reading

Chad Moore, left, and Travis Temple, right, prepare for the 2022 Iron Dog snow machine race. (Photo provided by Travis Temple)
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Brown Bears to host Magicians

Staff report The Kenai River Brown Bears will host the Minnesota Magicians on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex… Continue reading

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Boonstra leads area at state skiing

Kenai Central junior Jayna Boonstra led the Kenai Peninsula at the opening day of the state ski meet Thursday at Birch Hill in Fairbanks. Boonstra… Continue reading

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Kalugin, Trail star on home floor

Justin Trail and Lukah Kalugin starred on their home floor as the Ninilchik boys topped Cook Inlet Academy 84-11 on Wednesday in nonconference action in… Continue reading

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Soldotna High School senior Jolie Widaman signs her National Letter of Intent on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at Soldotna High School with her father, Matt Widaman; soccer coach, Jimmy Love; and mother, Jill DuFloth. (Photo provided)

SoHi’s Widaman signs to play soccer at Bellevue

Jolie Widaman, a senior at Soldotna High School, signed her National Letter of Intent on Tuesday to play soccer at Bellevue College in Bellevue, Washington.… Continue reading

Soldotna High School senior Jolie Widaman signs her National Letter of Intent on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at Soldotna High School with her father, Matt Widaman; soccer coach, Jimmy Love; and mother, Jill DuFloth. (Photo provided)
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SoHi JV basketball sweeps CIA

The visiting Soldotna JV girls and boys basketball teams swept Cook Inlet Academy on Monday in nonconference action. The CIA girls dropped to 5-11 overall… Continue reading

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Hannah Lafleur, 32, of Seward defends her title in the women’s Mount Marathon Race in Seward, Alaska, on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Seward’s Lafleur wins Little Su 50K

Seward’s Hannah Lafleur ran to victory in the Little Su 50K on Saturday in Big Lake. Lafleur, the two-time defending champion in the Mount Marathon… Continue reading

Hannah Lafleur, 32, of Seward defends her title in the women’s Mount Marathon Race in Seward, Alaska, on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)