Joey Klecka

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna sweeper Ethan Bott (30) keeps the ball away from West Anchorage's Cannen Burgess at the ASAA state soccer tournament Thursday at Eagle River High School.

Kenai boys advance to semis; SoHi falls to West

One year ago, the emerging Kenai Central boys soccer team picked up the program’s inaugural state tournament victory.Thursday at Eagle River High School, the Kardinals… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna sweeper Ethan Bott (30) keeps the ball away from West Anchorage's Cannen Burgess at the ASAA state soccer tournament Thursday at Eagle River High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Talon Hagen takes a shot against Wasilla, Friday at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Friday soccer: Kenai girls, boys clinch berths to state

The 2016 Kenai Central girls soccer team can claim something that no other squad in school history can. The Kards will be making a third… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Talon Hagen takes a shot against Wasilla, Friday at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sophomore Braydon Goodman (10) celebrates his goal in the first half of Saturday's Northern Lights Conference championship game at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Kenai boys soccer claims region title

A sense of urgency hung in the air midway through the second half of Saturday’s Northern Lights Conference boys championship game. The host Kenai Central… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sophomore Braydon Goodman (10) celebrates his goal in the first half of Saturday's Northern Lights Conference championship game at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central midfielder Emily Halstead vies for the ball against Wasilla's Abby Crawford in Saturday's Northern Lights Conference championship game at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Kenai girls fall in NLC championship game PKs to Wasilla

On a day that featured a titanic midfield struggle for possession and 100 minutes of scoreless soccer, the Northern Lights Conference girls soccer championship came… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central midfielder Emily Halstead vies for the ball against Wasilla's Abby Crawford in Saturday's Northern Lights Conference championship game at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central's Samantha Morse (left) shields the ball from Palmer's Tiana Lee in a Northern Lights Conference tournament quarterfinal, Thursday at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Kenai, SoHi girls soccer squad advance on 1st day of region tourney

Entering the Northern Lights Conference soccer tournament as the top seed from the South division, the host Kenai Central girls were looking for an easy… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central's Samantha Morse (left) shields the ball from Palmer's Tiana Lee in a Northern Lights Conference tournament quarterfinal, Thursday at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer goalkeeper Kenzington Cortez (right) makes a save on the ball against Colony striker Ben Sande in a Northern LIghts Conference tournament quarterfinal Thursday afternoon at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna.

2 of 3 Peninsula boys soccer teams advance through 1st day of region tourney

The seedings showed the Colony boys as the favorite over Homer on the first day of the Northern Lights Conference soccer tournament. As the top… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer goalkeeper Kenzington Cortez (right) makes a save on the ball against Colony striker Ben Sande in a Northern LIghts Conference tournament quarterfinal Thursday afternoon at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Cook Inlet Academy junior Noah Leaf (right) reaches the first hurdle ahead of Palmer's Brady Southwick in the boys 110-meter hurdles April 23 at Kenai Central High School. Leaf claimed the win on his 17th birthday, and is a leading contender this weekend at the Region II track and field championships at Su Valley High School.

Local track & field stars ready to shine at region meets

The Region II track and field championships to be held today and tomorrow at Su Valley High School near Talkeetna will feature many small schools,… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Cook Inlet Academy junior Noah Leaf (right) reaches the first hurdle ahead of Palmer's Brady Southwick in the boys 110-meter hurdles April 23 at Kenai Central High School. Leaf claimed the win on his 17th birthday, and is a leading contender this weekend at the Region II track and field championships at Su Valley High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Wasilla's Trout Millhouse (13) eyes a corner kick shot with Soldotna sophomore Eli Sheridan (31) Saturday afternoon at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna.

Soldotna weekend soccer roundup

A trio of second-half goals gave the Soldotna boys the win they deserved over Wasilla on a sun-splashed Saturday afternoon at Justin Maile Field. Soldotna… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Wasilla's Trout Millhouse (13) eyes a corner kick shot with Soldotna sophomore Eli Sheridan (31) Saturday afternoon at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Palmer's Haley Hanson (left) looks to possess the ball before Nikiski's Verity Feltman boots it Friday at Nikiski High School.

Nikiski weekend soccer roundup

The Nikiski girls soccer squad proved a valuable point to Northern Lights Conference opponents Friday afternoon on the natural grass field at Nikiski, notching a… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Palmer's Haley Hanson (left) looks to possess the ball before Nikiski's Verity Feltman boots it Friday at Nikiski High School.

Friday: Nikiski soccer splits with Palmer

The Nikiski girls soccer squad proved a valuable point to Northern Lights Conference opponents Friday afternoon on the natural grass field at Nikiski, notching a… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna pitcher Hunter Thompson delivers home against Homer on Thursday at the Soldotna Little League fields.

SoHi baseball closes strong against Homer

A piercing outfield wind kept the bats alive Thursday at the Soldotna Little League fields, but when it came down to crunch time, Soldotna senior… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna pitcher Hunter Thompson delivers home against Homer on Thursday at the Soldotna Little League fields.

SoHi softball tops Kenai

It wasn’t the no-hitter that already adorns her varsity record, but Soldotna Stars pitcher Emily Jackson was on her game again Wednesday afternoon at the… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski goaltender Brianna Vollertsen snatches the ball away just ahead of Soldotna attacker Abi Tuttle Saturday at Nikiski High School. The Stars beat the Bulldogs 3-0.

Saturday: SoHi soccer sweeps Nikiski

A 7-0 win at home over Nikiski just two weeks ago left the Soldotna girls soccer team feeling like the Stars squads that have been… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski goaltender Brianna Vollertsen snatches the ball away just ahead of Soldotna attacker Abi Tuttle Saturday at Nikiski High School. The Stars beat the Bulldogs 3-0.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna pitcher Emily Jackson fires toward home against Kodiak in the third inning Friday at Soldotna Little League fields. Jackson threw a no-hitter in the Stars' 14-1 victory.

Soldotna softball defeats Kodiak

Friday evening against the Kodiak softball team, it was hard to say which was faster — the pitches that Soldotna sophomore Emily Jackson was firing,… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna pitcher Emily Jackson fires toward home against Kodiak in the third inning Friday at Soldotna Little League fields. Jackson threw a no-hitter in the Stars' 14-1 victory.

Homer’s Pitzman set to enter Alaska High School Hall of Fame

With eight individuals from across the state preparing to be inducted into this year’s Alaska High School Hall of Fame class, the Homer Mariners can… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski's Dylan Broussard breaks in on goal in front of Kodiak's Walter Brewer on Tuesday at Nikiski High School.

Nikiski soccer notches split with Kodiak

A last-minute penalty kick block capped a stellar defensive showing by the Nikiski girls on their home turf Thursday evening against Kodiak.Nikiski goalkeeper Brianna Vollertsen… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski's Dylan Broussard breaks in on goal in front of Kodiak's Walter Brewer on Tuesday at Nikiski High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski sophomore Ian Johnson releases the disc in the boys discus throw finals Saturday afternoon at Kenai Central High School.

Kenai girls sprint relays, SoHi’s Nelson highlight Kenai Invite

The winds were abrasive, the skies were wet and the temperatures were mild at best, but that did not diminish the enthusiasm of athletes at… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski sophomore Ian Johnson releases the disc in the boys discus throw finals Saturday afternoon at Kenai Central High School.

Peninsula trio rehash Boston Marathon stories

With a springtime date of mid- to late-April, the weather for the popular Boston Marathon doesn’t give much of an adjustment period for Alaska competition.Temperatures… Continue reading

Clarion file photo Soldotna's Joey Becher delivers home during a game last season. Becher returns for the Stars this season.

Baseball preview 2016: Peninsula squads seek to end postseason drought

Kenai Peninsula baseball teams are hungry to get back to the postseason.It has been since 2012 that a prep baseball squad from the peninsula has… Continue reading

Clarion file photo Soldotna's Joey Becher delivers home during a game last season. Becher returns for the Stars this season.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion South Anchorage's Patricio Moyano protects the ball from Kenai Central defender Karl Danielson (17) Saturday at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

South soccer sweeps Kenai

Kenai Central’s nonconference loss to South Anchorage on Saturday afternoon did not leave the Kardinals girls soccer team celebrating, but it was about as close… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion South Anchorage's Patricio Moyano protects the ball from Kenai Central defender Karl Danielson (17) Saturday at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.