Joey Klecka

Nikiski’s Garrett Ellis (14) fights for a rebound with Homer’s Charles Rohr (0) Saturday at Nikiski High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikiski, Homer split region clashes

A fast and furious conference clash pushed the Homer Mariners boys into a solid spot in the Southcentral Conference standings and provided a big boost… Continue reading

Nikiski’s Garrett Ellis (14) fights for a rebound with Homer’s Charles Rohr (0) Saturday at Nikiski High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Hail the Kenai Peninsula Olympic Winter Games!

Every four years the world turns its attention to a spot on the globe that gathers together the best winter athletes on the planet for… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Matt Hagel (22) streaks down the ice in front of Palmer skater RJ Avezac Thursday evening in a North Star Conference tournament semifinal at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Region hockey: Kenai stuns Palmer in OT

Kenai Central never led in regulation in Thursday’s North Star Conference tournament quarterfinal against Palmer, but the Kardinals didn’t need to. All it took was… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Matt Hagel (22) streaks down the ice in front of Palmer skater RJ Avezac Thursday evening in a North Star Conference tournament semifinal at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Furlong signs to play college football

Furlong signs to play college football

It takes a special crossing of hard work and fate to be considered among the best, but Soldotna head football coach Galen Brantley Jr. has… Continue reading

Furlong signs to play college football
Angelica Haakenson receives a hug from Homer assistant coach Megan Corazza Friday afternoon in the Kenai Klassic races at the Tsalteshi Trails in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Haakenson makes triumphant racing debut at Kenai Klassic after losing legs

The loss of limb can can be a devastating life change that transforms the way even the simplest tasks are done, but Anchor Point’s Angelica… Continue reading

Angelica Haakenson receives a hug from Homer assistant coach Megan Corazza Friday afternoon in the Kenai Klassic races at the Tsalteshi Trails in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Wyatt Medcoff evades Kenai’s Jordan Stock (right) Saturday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Hockey: Kenai tops SoHi in OT to end regular season

The last time the Kenai Central and Soldotna hockey teams saw each other, Kenai was skating off the ice with a crushing 10-1 victory. It… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Wyatt Medcoff evades Kenai’s Jordan Stock (right) Saturday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears drop 2 on weekend

The Kenai River Brown Bears dropped a pair of North American Hockey League games on Friday and Saturday. The Bears lost 5-4 to the Coulee… Continue reading

Cook Inlet’s James Anderson contends with Kodiak ESS’s Teanna Amodo (20) for a rebound Thursday night at Cook Inlet Academy in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Thursday hoops roundup

After the events of Monday night’s 7.9-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami scare, the Kodiak Emerging Small Schools basketball program was tasked with taking their show… Continue reading

Cook Inlet’s James Anderson contends with Kodiak ESS’s Teanna Amodo (20) for a rebound Thursday night at Cook Inlet Academy in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
A Soldotna Parks & Recreation worker sprays a layer of water to be frozen into a skating rink Thursday at Soldotna Creek Park. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Ice skating the big thing on area lakes

There are a variety of lakes that provide a perfect frozen landscape for lacing up a pair of skates, but two in the Kenai and… Continue reading

A Soldotna Parks & Recreation worker sprays a layer of water to be frozen into a skating rink Thursday at Soldotna Creek Park. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna sophomore Galen Brantley III breaks away for a shot at the West Anchorage goaltender Saturday afternoon at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi hockey upsets Dimond, Kenai topples East

Friday’s result against the perennially strong Dimond Lynx might have already been decided by the fates when Soldotna goaltender Corbin Wirz asked head coach Indy… Continue reading

Soldotna sophomore Galen Brantley III breaks away for a shot at the West Anchorage goaltender Saturday afternoon at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski senior Ian Johnson (10) corrals a loose ball Friday night against Monroe Catholic at the Rus Hitchcock Nikiski Tip-Off Tournament in Nikiski. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikiski honors Hitchcock at Tip-Off tourney

The mark of a man’s life is often said to be the legacy he leaves behind after he is gone. Rus Hitchcock left behind a… Continue reading

Nikiski senior Ian Johnson (10) corrals a loose ball Friday night against Monroe Catholic at the Rus Hitchcock Nikiski Tip-Off Tournament in Nikiski. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna sophomore Jersey Truesdell looks for an opening against the Kodiak defense Thursday night at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Thursday hoops: SoHi boys keep rolling with win over Kodiak

Following an exhilarating, come-from-behind win over longtime rival Kenai Central on Tuesday, Soldotna boys basketball coach Nolan Rose was hoping his team could return to… Continue reading

Soldotna sophomore Jersey Truesdell looks for an opening against the Kodiak defense Thursday night at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Danica Schmidt protects the ball from Kenai Central’s Hayley Maw on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, at Cliff Massie Court at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi hoops sweep Kenai

The Kenai Central boys had the fast start, but the Soldotna boys had Jersey Truesdell. Truesdell helped lead the Stars back from an early 17-point… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Danica Schmidt protects the ball from Kenai Central’s Hayley Maw on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, at Cliff Massie Court at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

New years resolutions to receive big boost

Getting out and working on those New Year’s resolution fitness goals just got easier. With the start of the new year comes a bevy of… Continue reading

Nikiski’s Kelsey Clark brings the ball up the court against Kenai Central’s Jaycie Calvert on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2017, at Nikiski High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikiski girls, Kenai boys notch wins

Down 14 points with five seconds to play Thursday night, Nikiski boys basketball coach Reid Kornstad called timeout to the bewilderment of the home crowd.… Continue reading

Nikiski’s Kelsey Clark brings the ball up the court against Kenai Central’s Jaycie Calvert on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2017, at Nikiski High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Division II girls winner Autumn Daigle (center) receives hugs from her brother and mother Ann (right) Sept. 30, 2017, at the ASAA First National Bank Alaska Cross-Country State Championships at Bartlett High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

2017 Sports Year in Review: Moments That Defined the Year

The last drops of 2017 are circling the drain, but it isn’t too late to take one more look back at the sports year on… Continue reading

Division II girls winner Autumn Daigle (center) receives hugs from her brother and mother Ann (right) Sept. 30, 2017, at the ASAA First National Bank Alaska Cross-Country State Championships at Bartlett High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Tony Doyle points out the finer details in a photo presentation Dec. 20 at the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Doyle, Sexton open peninsula eyes to nearby backcountry skiing

Four hours of work for a 15-minute thrill may not sound like a reasonable payoff, but for backcountry ski enthusiasts Tony Doyle and Trent Sexton,… Continue reading

Tony Doyle points out the finer details in a photo presentation Dec. 20 at the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Bechler Metcalf (bottom) fights against Wasilla’s Andrue Shepersky in the 152-pound final Saturday night at the Division I state wrestling championships at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

State wrestling: Hutchison joins family list, Homer falls short of Division II team title

With the last name Hutchison, winning a state wrestling championship is almost a given. However, two straight years of finishing third at the season-ending state… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Bechler Metcalf (bottom) fights against Wasilla’s Andrue Shepersky in the 152-pound final Saturday night at the Division I state wrestling championships at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer’s Daniel Reutov slips while dribbling the ball with pressure from Service’s Brandon Gail (14) Dec. 15, 2017, at the Powerade/Al Howard Tip-Off tournament at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Southcentral hoops preview: Girls field chasing Nikiski, boys field hunting Anchorage teams

A dream hoops season quickly turned into a nightmare for the Nikiski girls program last March, and all it took was one play. The juggernaut… Continue reading

Homer’s Daniel Reutov slips while dribbling the ball with pressure from Service’s Brandon Gail (14) Dec. 15, 2017, at the Powerade/Al Howard Tip-Off tournament at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna sophomore Danica Schmidt hounds Kodiak’s Sydney Mutch for the ball in a Northern Lights Conference matchup Jan. 7, 2017, at the Soldotna Prep gymnasium.

NLC hoops preview: Peninsula teams catching up

The lay of the land in the Northern Lights Conference is considerably red and green these days. Red for the Wasilla Warriors, green for the… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna sophomore Danica Schmidt hounds Kodiak’s Sydney Mutch for the ball in a Northern Lights Conference matchup Jan. 7, 2017, at the Soldotna Prep gymnasium.