Joey Klecka

Soldotna's Derek Gibson finishes an early February training run with ice on his face. Gibson finished fourth in the men's Little Su 50-kilometer race on foot.

Three Peninsula residents take up the challenge of wilderness endurance race in Big Lake

The famous (or perhaps infamous) Susitna 100-mile and Little Su 50-kilometer races are the type of events that give the 49th state its aura of… Continue reading

Soldotna's Derek Gibson finishes an early February training run with ice on his face. Gibson finished fourth in the men's Little Su 50-kilometer race on foot.
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Kenai Central High School's Cipriana Castellano lifts during the fourth annual Speed Strength Training lifting competition at Soldotna High School on March 26, 2015 in Soldotna, Alaska.

SST event sees records fall

The name of the game is pushing yourself to the peak of your abilities, and a collection of student athletes from Kenai Central, Soldotna and… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Kenai Central High School's Cipriana Castellano lifts during the fourth annual Speed Strength Training lifting competition at Soldotna High School on March 26, 2015 in Soldotna, Alaska.

Nikiski girls top ACS for 4th place

A happy end after an unhappy start of the Class 3A state basketball tournament left the Nikiski girls with fourth-place honors for the season-ending weekend.The… Continue reading

Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski senior Chena Litzen drives the lane for a layup midway through the third quarter Friday against Bethel at the Sullivan Arena. The Bulldogs won 37-22 to advance to Saturday's fourth-place game against ACS.

Friday: Nikiski girls stay alive; ACS ends Homer’s season

With their tournament, season and high school career on the line, Nikiski seniors Chena Litzen and Rachel Thompson both had to come up with something… Continue reading

Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski senior Chena Litzen drives the lane for a layup midway through the third quarter Friday against Bethel at the Sullivan Arena. The Bulldogs won 37-22 to advance to Saturday's fourth-place game against ACS.
Nikiski senior Chena Litzen drives the lane for a layup midway through the third quarter Friday against Bethel at the Sullivan Arena. The Bulldogs won 37-22 to advance to Saturday's fourth-place game against ACS.

Friday: Nikiski girls dominate Bethel, Homer girls end season early

With their tournament, season and high school career on the line, Nikiski seniors Chena Litzen and Rachel Thompson both had to come up with something… Continue reading

Nikiski senior Chena Litzen drives the lane for a layup midway through the third quarter Friday against Bethel at the Sullivan Arena. The Bulldogs won 37-22 to advance to Saturday's fourth-place game against ACS.

Nikiski girls end season with a win

A happy end after an unhappy start of the Class 3A state basketball tournament left the Nikiski girls with fourth place honors for the season-ending… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski's Avery Kornstad blocks Valdez's Veronica Hursh during their March Madness large school state tournament game on March 19, 2015. Valdez won 47-33.

Nikiski, Homer lose on 1st day at state

A year after Valdez ended Nikiski’s season at the state tournament, the Bulldogs were looking for a second chance. Unfortunately, the Buccaneers pulled out all… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski's Avery Kornstad blocks Valdez's Veronica Hursh during their March Madness large school state tournament game on March 19, 2015. Valdez won 47-33.
Photo by Joey Kleck/Peninsula Clarion Seldovia's Aidan Philpot shoots during their championship game against Scammon Bay on Wednesday March 18, 2015 in Anchorage, Alaska. Seldovia won their game and the state's small schools championships 62-34.

Seldovia boys capture 1A title; Nikolaevsk girls, boys nab 4th place

A small town on the mouth of Kachemak Bay with a population of less than 300 has finally gotten its moment in the spotlight. Wednesday… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Kleck/Peninsula Clarion Seldovia's Aidan Philpot shoots during their championship game against Scammon Bay on Wednesday March 18, 2015 in Anchorage, Alaska. Seldovia won their game and the state's small schools championships 62-34.
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Elim's Wyman Anasogak looks for an opening to pass during a game against Nikolaevsk on Tuesday Mach 17, 2015 during the 2015 March Madness small schools basketball tournament in Anchorage, Alaska.

Seldovia boys reach title game; Nikolaevsk boys to play for 4th

All those years spent together since childhood are paying off. For a second straight day, the Seldovia boys hoops team won by the skin of… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Elim's Wyman Anasogak looks for an opening to pass during a game against Nikolaevsk on Tuesday Mach 17, 2015 during the 2015 March Madness small schools basketball tournament in Anchorage, Alaska.

Nikolaevsk girls battle their way into 4th-place game

After seeing their chances of winning a state title fall by the wayside Monday night, Nikolaevsk girls coach Bea Klaich reminded her team Tuesday morning… Continue reading

Class 1A girls state: Nikolaevsk, CIA suffer tough losses

Another potential state championship run by the Nikolaevsk girls came to an abrupt end Monday evening at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage.Turnovers and poor shooting… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Nikolaevsk's Nikit Fefelov darts around Angoon's Duncan O'Brien during their game on March 16, 2015 for the March Madness Small Schools state championships in Anchorage, Alaska.

Seldovia boys win a wild quarterfinal; Nikolaevsk boys go down

The Seldovia boys had several strong opportunities to seal a quarterfinal victory over Manokotak in the final minute of regulation Monday at the Sullivan Arena.… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Nikolaevsk's Nikit Fefelov darts around Angoon's Duncan O'Brien during their game on March 16, 2015 for the March Madness Small Schools state championships in Anchorage, Alaska.
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Seldovia's Aidan Philpot works his way around Kotlik's Juwan Akaran during their game at the 2015 March Madness Small Schools championships on Saturday March 14, 2015 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Class 1A boys: Seldovia, Nikolaevsk march on

With 16 teams vying for state supremacy, Saturday’s opening day of the Class 1A boys state tournament served as more of a qualifying round. The… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Seldovia's Aidan Philpot works his way around Kotlik's Juwan Akaran during their game at the 2015 March Madness Small Schools championships on Saturday March 14, 2015 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Class 1A girls: Nikolaevsk girls advance, CIA loses heartbreaker

The Cook Inlet Academy girls watched the UAA women’s basketball team get their hearts broken Friday night at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage. Saturday… Continue reading

Class 3A girls preview: Nikiski, Homer eye title

As they head off to the season-ending state hoops tournament for a second straight year, the Nikiski girls are hoping to cap an unexpectedly successful… Continue reading

SoHi graduate Blackburn takes step forward in her Olympic dream

Soldotna’s Paige Blackburn is not giving up on her dreams of becoming an Olympian, and neither is the Air Force Academy.The 2012 Air Force graduate… Continue reading

Saturday: Late heroics lift Kenai girls to 3rd place in NLC tourney

The blossoming distance-running phenom from Alaska that finally burst onto the national scene over the past year proved to the crowd Saturday at Cliff Massie… Continue reading

Wasilla girls defeat Kenai in NLC semis, will face Colony in final

The Warriors are back, and they're hunting another state crown. After failing to even make the state tournament last year after three straight years of… Continue reading

Colony boys march into NLC final with win over SoHi

It's become clear that there is no love lost between the Colony and Soldotna boys hoops teams, especially when the Knights have had the upper… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Kenai Central High School's audience quietly cheer for a Kenai player during a foul shot at the Northern Light's Basketbal Tournament  on Thursday March 5, 2015 in Kenai, Alaska.

SoHi, Kenai split opening day at NLC tourney

Whether it was the hot air inside the gym at Kenai Central High School, or the rabid Kardinals defense, something was stifling the Soldotna girls… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Kenai Central High School's audience quietly cheer for a Kenai player during a foul shot at the Northern Light's Basketbal Tournament  on Thursday March 5, 2015 in Kenai, Alaska.