Joey Klecka

Kenai’s Savaya Bieber (10) battles for the ball against Anna Christiansen of Grace Thursday in the Division II state soccer tournament at Service High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai girls fall to Grace at state soccer

A penalty kick goal not even five minutes into Thursday’s Division II state tournament quarterfinal set the tone for what turned out to be a… Continue reading

Kenai’s Savaya Bieber (10) battles for the ball against Anna Christiansen of Grace Thursday in the Division II state soccer tournament at Service High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Track teams ready to strut their best at state

The Soldotna and Homer girls track and field programs have a lot to be happy about after securing team championships in their respective region meets… Continue reading

Softball teams head into intriguing region tourney

Last year’s inaugural Northern Lights Conference softball tournament provided fans with an electrifying marathon comeback for the champion Homer Mariners, who had to beat Soldotna… Continue reading

Kenai’s Braydon Goodman, Damien Redder and Luke Beiser celebrate with teammate Leif Lofquist (center) after Lofquist scored Saturday in the Peninsula Conference boys soccer championship against Homer at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai boys, SoHi girls win region soccer titles

It may be a restructured conference, but a three-peat is still a three-peat. The Kenai Central boys won a third straight region tournament with a… Continue reading

Kenai’s Braydon Goodman, Damien Redder and Luke Beiser celebrate with teammate Leif Lofquist (center) after Lofquist scored Saturday in the Peninsula Conference boys soccer championship against Homer at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai defender Damaris Severson (left) attempts to keep the ball away from Homer’s Raisa Basargin Friday in a Peninsula Conference tournament semifinal at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai girls clinch state spot with tight semi win over Homer

On the heels of two incredibly tight regular season contests, the Kenai Central and Homer girls knew Friday’s Peninsula Conference semifinal could go either way.… Continue reading

Kenai defender Damaris Severson (left) attempts to keep the ball away from Homer’s Raisa Basargin Friday in a Peninsula Conference tournament semifinal at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna pitcher Taralynn Frates (11) gives kudos to teammate Casey Card for making a great save Friday in a Northern Lights Conference contest against Kenai Central at the Soldotna softball fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi softball beats Kenai on senior night

The Kenai Central softball team tried its best to ruin crosstown rival Soldotna’s senior night, but couldn’t catch a break in an 8-3 loss to… Continue reading

Soldotna pitcher Taralynn Frates (11) gives kudos to teammate Casey Card for making a great save Friday in a Northern Lights Conference contest against Kenai Central at the Soldotna softball fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski’s George Napoka (32) tips the ball away from Seward’s Brandon Lynch Thursday at the Peninsula Conference tournament at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikiski girls, Seward boys win day 1 of region soccer

The Nikiski girls’ wait to make it to the postseason was rewarded Thursday with a 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Seward at the Peninsula Conference soccer… Continue reading

Nikiski’s George Napoka (32) tips the ball away from Seward’s Brandon Lynch Thursday at the Peninsula Conference tournament at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Region III track teams prepare for weekend battle

Houston High School will be the epicenter of the Region III track and field championships this weekend, and the battle is shaping up to be… Continue reading

Out of the Office: Outdoor adventures with mom

“Why do you adults always talk so much?” Those were the disapproving words my kid sister launched at my mom the moment the latter arrived… Continue reading

Carstens wins California hoops tourney

Just because the month of March is behind her doesn’t mean Nikiski High School junior Bethany Carstens is done hooping. Carstens picked up a team… Continue reading

Kenai’s Zack Tuttle (23) and Homer’s Charles Rohr battle for a header Tuesday evening at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai soccer earns win, draw against Homer

With an 11-game unbeaten streak hanging in the balance, Kenai Central senior Zack Tuttle made sure the Kardinals boys dream season continued as planned. Tuttle… Continue reading

Kenai’s Zack Tuttle (23) and Homer’s Charles Rohr battle for a header Tuesday evening at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai’s Rykker Riddall wards off Grace Christian’s Kevin Leach Saturday at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai soccer evades hail, Grace Grizzlies

The Kenai Central girls weathered the storm of hail from the sky and shots from Grace Christian on Saturday afternoon in a wet and wild… Continue reading

Kenai’s Rykker Riddall wards off Grace Christian’s Kevin Leach Saturday at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai’s Andrew Carver (14) keeps an eye on Kodiak pitcher Nevin Lee after hitting a fourth-inning double Friday at the Kenai Little League Fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai baseball falls to Kodiak

After hours of a persistent Friday daytime drizzle, the sun broke out and so did the Kodiak Bears at the Kenai Little League fields. Kodiak… Continue reading

Kenai’s Andrew Carver (14) keeps an eye on Kodiak pitcher Nevin Lee after hitting a fourth-inning double Friday at the Kenai Little League Fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Henderson enters Alaska HS Hall of Fame

Ron Henderson, 75, has seen most of Alaska’s best and brightest basketball stars hoop their way to the college and professional ranks, household names such… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Josh Hieber directs the ball towards the Homer goal Thursday afternoon in a Peninsula Conference contest at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi soccer sweeps Homer

Last month’s 5-1 drubbing in Homer may have left the Soldotna boys feeling a little shortchanged. After all, it was their first game outside and… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Josh Hieber directs the ball towards the Homer goal Thursday afternoon in a Peninsula Conference contest at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer junior Brianna Hetrick (second from left) celebrates with her teammates after touching home plate following a home run Tuesday evening at the Soldotna Little League fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer clubs SoHi softball

The Homer Mariners brought the bats and Mother Nature did the rest. On a day when gusty winds challenged fielders to catch a pop-up, the… Continue reading

Homer junior Brianna Hetrick (second from left) celebrates with her teammates after touching home plate following a home run Tuesday evening at the Soldotna Little League fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Former Soldotna High School girls basketball coach Dan Gensel gives words of encouragement to Melissa Smith in the 1993 Class 3A state championship game. (Photo provided by Dan Gensel)

SoHi duo highlights Alaska Hall class of 2018

Two colleagues and friends will be heading into the Alaska High School Hall of Fame together this weekend, and the two names couldn’t make a… Continue reading

Former Soldotna High School girls basketball coach Dan Gensel gives words of encouragement to Melissa Smith in the 1993 Class 3A state championship game. (Photo provided by Dan Gensel)
Paul Kopp of Grace Christian (left) dodges the leg of Nikiski’s Mason Payne Friday at Nikiski High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Grace soccer sweeps Nikiski amid wintry conditions

The Grace Christian soccer teams left Nikiski’s sodden field Friday afternoon with a pair of nonconference victories, winning the girls game 6-0 and the boys… Continue reading

Paul Kopp of Grace Christian (left) dodges the leg of Nikiski’s Mason Payne Friday at Nikiski High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna sophomore Holleigh Jaime and Kenai sophomore Savannah Wilson tackle a hurdle in the girls 300-meter final Saturday at the Kenai Invitational at Ed Hollier Field. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi sweeps Kenai Invite track titles

Get the brooms out, the Stars are in town. The Soldotna track and field teams rolled to team crowns Saturday at the Kenai Invitational at… Continue reading

Soldotna sophomore Holleigh Jaime and Kenai sophomore Savannah Wilson tackle a hurdle in the girls 300-meter final Saturday at the Kenai Invitational at Ed Hollier Field. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central’s Zaharah Wilshusen fields a grounder from a Kodiak batter Thursday evening at Steve Shearer Memorial Ball Park in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kodiak caps doubleheader sweep over Kenai with walk-off

The Kodiak Bears rallied to beat Kenai Central softball on a wild walk-off Thursday at Steve Shearer Memorial Ballpark in Kenai, scoring the last two… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Zaharah Wilshusen fields a grounder from a Kodiak batter Thursday evening at Steve Shearer Memorial Ball Park in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)