Sports

Soldotna High School head football coach Galen Brantley Jr. poses with former players Galen Brantley III and Aaron Faletoi. Brantley III and Faletoi helped Dickinson State in Dickinson, South Dakota, to an undefeated regular season. (Photo provided by Galen Brantley Jr.)

Brantley III, Faletoi help Dickinson State to undefeated regular season

Galen Brantley III and Aaron Faletoi, 2020 graduates of Soldotna High School, both played a big role as the Dickinson State University football team, an… Continue reading

Soldotna High School head football coach Galen Brantley Jr. poses with former players Galen Brantley III and Aaron Faletoi. Brantley III and Faletoi helped Dickinson State in Dickinson, South Dakota, to an undefeated regular season. (Photo provided by Galen Brantley Jr.)
Seward’s Lydia Jacoby races to victory in the girls 100-yard breaststroke final Oct. 27, 2018, at the Northern Lights Conference championship swim meet at Homer High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Seward’s Jacoby takes 2nd at national swim meet

Seward junior Lydia Jacoby, just 16, finished second in the 100-meter breaststroke Friday at the 2020 Toyota U.S. Open Championships in San Antonio, Texas. The… Continue reading

Seward’s Lydia Jacoby races to victory in the girls 100-yard breaststroke final Oct. 27, 2018, at the Northern Lights Conference championship swim meet at Homer High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
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CIA volleyball splits matches at Lumen

Staff report The Cook Inlet Academy volleyball team finished up its regular season by splitting a pair of matches at Lumen Christi in Anchorage on… Continue reading

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Kenai River Brown Bears forward Theo Thrun brings the puck up the ice on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, against the Minnesota Magicians at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears split weekend games with Steel

The Kenai River Brown Bears split a pair of North American Hockey League games with the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel on Friday and Saturday at the… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Theo Thrun brings the puck up the ice on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, against the Minnesota Magicians at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai’s Rachael Pitsch swims the girls 500-yard freestyle on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020 during the Kenai Peninsula Swimming Championships at the Kate Kuhns Aquatic Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Homer girls, Kenai boys win swim meet

In their last competitive event of the season, the Homer girls swim team claimed victory, and some closure, at the Kenai Peninsula Swimming Championships on… Continue reading

Kenai’s Rachael Pitsch swims the girls 500-yard freestyle on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020 during the Kenai Peninsula Swimming Championships at the Kate Kuhns Aquatic Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
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Ninilchik grad Vanderford moves to 10-0 in MMA

Austin Vanderford, a 2008 graduate of Ninilchik School, moved to 10-0 in professional mixed martial arts fighting with a victory over Brazil’s Vinicius De Jesus… Continue reading

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Basic Incident Command System organization chart. The ICS system has been used for many different types of incidents since its inception. (Chart from Federal Emergency Management Agency)

Refuge Notebook: Incident Command System adapts to record-setting wildfires

The August Complex Fire of 2020 on the Mendocino National Forest in northern California is officially the state’s largest wildfire in history. At over 1,000,000… Continue reading

Basic Incident Command System organization chart. The ICS system has been used for many different types of incidents since its inception. (Chart from Federal Emergency Management Agency)
Kenai River Brown Bears forward Brandon Lajoie pulls up against the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears topple Steel again

The Kenai River Brown Bears moved to 2-0-0-0 in the North American Hockey League with a 5-3 victory at the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel on Thursday.… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Brandon Lajoie pulls up against the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
The author is seen here skiing a little easier at Trail Lake near Seward. (Photo provided by Kat Sorensen)

Tangled Up in Blue: Grooming the trail

During my first winter spent cross-country skiing in Soldotna, I often found myself struggling to glide along the trails at Tsalteshi. I was learning, fumbling… Continue reading

The author is seen here skiing a little easier at Trail Lake near Seward. (Photo provided by Kat Sorensen)
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With exception of swimming, district shuts down sports until further notice

ASAA releases new activities calendar

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Peninsula swimmers shine at virtual meet

The four Kenai Peninsula Borough School District high school swimming teams held a virtual meet Friday. The meet served as a preview of a meet… Continue reading

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Kenai Central's Bethany Morris attacks Soldotna's Sierra Kuntz on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai volleyball caps undefeated season with district title

Great volleyball teams adapt quickly. The Kenai Central volleyball team wanted to win the Division II state volleyball tournament this season. That tournament did not… Continue reading

Kenai Central's Bethany Morris attacks Soldotna's Sierra Kuntz on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River Brown Bears forward Max Helgeson chases the puck along the boards against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears open season with victory

The Kenai River Brown Bears started the 2020-21 season with a 3-0 victory at the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel on Friday in Wisconsin. Luke Pavicich made… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Max Helgeson chases the puck along the boards against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna High School senior swimmers are honored Oct. 30, 2020, at Soldotna High School. The seniors, from left to right, are Nathan Pitka, Emma Snyer, Deloma Watkins, Kat Gross and Brandon Christenson. (Photo provided by Luke Herman)

Soldotna High School honors senior swimmers

Staff report The Soldotna High School swim team honored seniors Nathan Pitka, Emma Snyder, Deloma Watkins, Kat Gross and Brandon Christenson on Oct. 30 at… Continue reading

Soldotna High School senior swimmers are honored Oct. 30, 2020, at Soldotna High School. The seniors, from left to right, are Nathan Pitka, Emma Snyer, Deloma Watkins, Kat Gross and Brandon Christenson. (Photo provided by Luke Herman)
Kenai Central's Erin Koziczkowski puts up a block on Nikiski's Camry Ellis on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai, Homer win on 1st day of borough volleyball

By JEFF HELMINIAK Peninsula Clarion At a tournament where almost everything is a bit different, the dominance of the Kenai Central volleyball team remains the… Continue reading

Kenai Central's Erin Koziczkowski puts up a block on Nikiski's Camry Ellis on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
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Out of the Office: Two weeks

I’ve been thinking a lot about the 1986 film “The Money Pit” lately. If you’re around my age, I’ve probably lost you already. But if… Continue reading

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Fairbanks Ice Dogs defenseman Jasper Lester and Kenai River Brown Bears forward Porter Schachle battle along the boards Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Season preview: Brown Bears have plenty of firepower at forward

When Kevin Murdock was hired as the head coach of the Kenai River Brown Bears before the 2019-20 season, his biggest task was to rebuild… Continue reading

Fairbanks Ice Dogs defenseman Jasper Lester and Kenai River Brown Bears forward Porter Schachle battle along the boards Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
The view looking north toward the pass from just above Juneau Lake. (Photo by Jack Carroll/Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

Refuge Notebook: Finding refuge in the forest

As a park ranger for the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, I get to spend a lot of time on the refuge’s trails and in the… Continue reading

The view looking north toward the pass from just above Juneau Lake. (Photo by Jack Carroll/Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)
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Kenai, SoHi to host borough volleyball tourney

Kenai Central and Soldotna high schools will team to host a Kenai Peninsula Borough volleyball tournament Thursday and Saturday. Homer, Kenai Central, Soldotna, Nikiski and… Continue reading

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Victor Rodriguez is awarded the Alaska Fighting Championship bantamweight title on Feb. 26, 2020, at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Maria Bundy)

Yanez stops Rodriguez in 1st round

By JEFF HELMINIAK Peninsula Clarion Adrian Yanez of Texas defeated Soldotna’s Victor Rodriguez by technical knockout 2:46 into the first round Saturday at a UFC… Continue reading

Victor Rodriguez is awarded the Alaska Fighting Championship bantamweight title on Feb. 26, 2020, at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Maria Bundy)