Joey Klecka

Thrills and spills at the Soldotna Rodeo

Thrills and spills at the Soldotna Rodeo

The Alaskan rodeo season officially kicked off on the peninsula Friday and Saturday evenings with the first rodeo event of the summer at the Soldotna… Continue reading

Thrills and spills at the Soldotna Rodeo

SoHi football to host golf tournament fundraiser

The five-team defending medium-school champion Soldotna High School football team is holding a summer fundraising golf tournament June 17 at the Birch Ridge Golf Course… Continue reading

SoHi, Homer end seasons at state softball tourney

The 2017 softball season quietly came to an end for Soldotna and Homer on a hot Friday afternoon in Fairbanks. SoHi routed Homer 18-3 in… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Josh Jackman, right, stays just ahead of Colony’s Jon Pomrenke during the boys’ 100 meters preliminaries on the first day of the ASAA/First National Bank State Track and Field Championships Friday at Palmer High School. (Photo by Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman.com)

Peninsula athletes excel at state track and field

Holding a narrow points lead heading into Saturday’s final event — the dreaded 1,600-meter relay — at the Class 1-2-3A state track and field championships,… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Josh Jackman, right, stays just ahead of Colony’s Jon Pomrenke during the boys’ 100 meters preliminaries on the first day of the ASAA/First National Bank State Track and Field Championships Friday at Palmer High School. (Photo by Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman.com)

Kenai boys tie for 3rd at state soccer

The Kenai Central boys soccer team played West to a 2-2 tie Saturday at Service High School to tie for third at the state soccer… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Paulyne Catacutan gets her head on a ball late in Friday’s consolation semifinal against Colony at the girls state soccer tournament at Eagle River High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Friday: Kenai girls fall to Colony in state soccer consolation match

The Kenai Central girls soccer season quietly came to an end Friday afternoon at Eagle River High School, where the Kardinals lost a 2-0 state… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Paulyne Catacutan gets her head on a ball late in Friday’s consolation semifinal against Colony at the girls state soccer tournament at Eagle River High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central’s Braydon Goodman (10) fights for a loose ball against West Valley’s Shane Gillette in Friday’s state tournament semifinal matchup at Service High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai boys fall in state semifinals to unbeaten West Valley

Two teams with one loss between them met in a state semifinal Friday afternoon, forging a battle of an irresistable force meeting an immovable object.… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Braydon Goodman (10) fights for a loose ball against West Valley’s Shane Gillette in Friday’s state tournament semifinal matchup at Service High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna senior Abraham Van Hout leads the field over the first barrier in the boys 110-meter hurdles final May 20 at the Region III track & field championships in Homer. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Peninsula’s best runners, throwers, jumpers all in for state track meet

The epicenter of Alaska’s prep sports scene will be moving to Palmer High School this weekend as the state track and field championships convene at… Continue reading

Soldotna senior Abraham Van Hout leads the field over the first barrier in the boys 110-meter hurdles final May 20 at the Region III track & field championships in Homer. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Dimond’s Allison Shafer collides with Kenai Central goalkeeper Kailey Hamilton in a quarterfinal matchup Thursday at the state soccer tournament at Eagle River High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai girls fall to defending champs in state soccer opener

A Wednesday night graduation coupled with a lunchtime kickoff for the opening round of the state soccer championships didn’t end well for the Kenai Central… Continue reading

Dimond’s Allison Shafer collides with Kenai Central goalkeeper Kailey Hamilton in a quarterfinal matchup Thursday at the state soccer tournament at Eagle River High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central goalkeeper Tristan Landry bats the ball away following a Juneau-Douglas shot attempt Thursday at the state soccer tournament at Eagle River High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

State soccer: Kenai boys advance, Kardinal girls fall

Adversity was the name of the game Thursday afternoon for the Kenai Central boys. Pelting hail, drenching rain and bone-chilling cold challenged the defending state… Continue reading

Kenai Central goalkeeper Tristan Landry bats the ball away following a Juneau-Douglas shot attempt Thursday at the state soccer tournament at Eagle River High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central first baseman Levi Mese attempts to put out Grace Christian’s Parker Hovila, Friday evening at the Kenai Little League Fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai ends regular season with loss to Grace Christian

The Grace Christian Grizzlies put an exclamation point on the end of their inaugural season of baseball with a 9-4 victory Friday evening at the… Continue reading

Kenai Central first baseman Levi Mese attempts to put out Grace Christian’s Parker Hovila, Friday evening at the Kenai Little League Fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Cook Inlet Academy’s Noah Leaf (left) races Soldotna’s Brenner Furlong in the boys 200-meter sprint April 22 at the Kenai Invitational at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer set to host Region III track & field championships

Come one, come all to see some of the fastest in the state duke it out for Region III supremacy this weekend only. The speeds… Continue reading

Cook Inlet Academy’s Noah Leaf (left) races Soldotna’s Brenner Furlong in the boys 200-meter sprint April 22 at the Kenai Invitational at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Tara Lynn Frates (11) takes a look behind as Kenai Central catcher Alyssa Stanton makes a throw to first base Wednesday at the Soldotna Little League Fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi’s Hills tosses no-no in win over Kenai

As the Soldotna and Kenai Central softball teams were dodging the rain showers Wednesday afternoon, Stars pitcher Danielle Hills was dodging the Kardinals bats. Hills… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Tara Lynn Frates (11) takes a look behind as Kenai Central catcher Alyssa Stanton makes a throw to first base Wednesday at the Soldotna Little League Fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer senior Audrey Rosencrans leads the field in the girls 1,600 meters Saturday afternoon at the Kenai Peninsula Borough track and field championships at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi sweeps team titles at soggy borough track meet

Despite the wet and chilly conditions at Justin Maile Field on Saturday, there were a few fiery performances at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Track and… Continue reading

Homer senior Audrey Rosencrans leads the field in the girls 1,600 meters Saturday afternoon at the Kenai Peninsula Borough track and field championships at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Weekend baseball: Kenai, SoHi, Homer all lose

Weekend baseball: Kenai, SoHi, Homer all lose

The heavyweight matchup in Friday’s Southcentral Conference baseball clash featured Kenai Central’s superlative start to the season pitted against Wasilla’s hot arm. In the end,… Continue reading

Weekend baseball: Kenai, SoHi, Homer all lose
Kenai Central pitcher Cierra King (right) attempts to tag out Kodiak baserunner Cameron Bolen on Thursday, May 11, 2017, evening at Steve Shearer Memorial Ball Park in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Thursday softball, baseball roundup: Kodiak beats Kenai girls after controversial call

Drama was not in short supply Thursday evening at Steve Shearer Memorial Ball Park in Kenai. The Kodiak softball squad left with a 15-12 Northern… Continue reading

Kenai Central pitcher Cierra King (right) attempts to tag out Kodiak baserunner Cameron Bolen on Thursday, May 11, 2017, evening at Steve Shearer Memorial Ball Park in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna pitcher Matthew Daugherty winds up for the throw against a Colony batter Tuesday afternoon at the Soldotna baseball fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi walks off in 6-5 win over Colony

Colony’s right-handed starter Trace Severson pitched wonderfully amid the blustery conditions Tuesday afternoon at the Soldotna baseball fields, but it wasn’t enough to stave off… Continue reading

Soldotna pitcher Matthew Daugherty winds up for the throw against a Colony batter Tuesday afternoon at the Soldotna baseball fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central’s Riley McKee (left) and Nikiski’s Martin Cox battle for possession of the ball Friday afternoon at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Friday: Kenai soccer sweeps Nikiski on senior night

The stars aligned for the outgoing seniors on the Kenai Central girls soccer team Friday afternoon as the Kardinals won a 7-1 Northern Lights Conference… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Riley McKee (left) and Nikiski’s Martin Cox battle for possession of the ball Friday afternoon at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Retired teacher, coach and Homer administrator Dave Cloud poses with his wife Melissa, a retired elementary school teacher and former Teacher of the Year award recipient. (Photo courtesy of Dave Cloud)

Homer trio receives Alaska High School Hall of Fame induction

The newest class elected into the Alaska High School Hall of Fame will have a distinctly throwback feel that hearkens back to a time of… Continue reading

Retired teacher, coach and Homer administrator Dave Cloud poses with his wife Melissa, a retired elementary school teacher and former Teacher of the Year award recipient. (Photo courtesy of Dave Cloud)
Kenai Central starting pitcher Zack Selinger offers up a pitch to a Kodiak batter Thursday night at the Kenai Little League fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai drubs Kodiak with 16 runs to stay perfect

The undefeated Kenai Central baseball team has shown a myriad of ways to win this year. Wednesday night, the Kards pulled out the “W” with… Continue reading

Kenai Central starting pitcher Zack Selinger offers up a pitch to a Kodiak batter Thursday night at the Kenai Little League fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)