Sports

Head coach Taylor Shaw (center) talks to the Kenai River Brown Bears during a timeout at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Season review: Brown Bears hope to build on solid finish to season

It’s not easy to finish a season in last place in a division, yet have plenty of reasons for optimism for the next season

 

Greg Fallon, Kenai, receives his gold medal for his team’s 4x400m relay 2005 or later mix effort from Mat-Su Borough Mayor Edna DeVries. (J. David McChesney/Frontiersman)

Peninsula athletes compete, win at Arctic Winter Games

23 athletes from the Kenai Peninsula, representing Kenai, Soldotna, Nikiski, Sterling and Homer, brought home 31 Ulus

 

Martin Flores skis into the finish to win the 40-kilometer Double Tour while carrying an Alaska flag during the Tour of Tsalteshi at Tsalteshi Trails near Soldotna, Alaska, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Skiers, bikers turn out for Seventh Annual Tour of Tsalteshi

Racers came from across the Kenai Peninsula and beyond and competed in a variety of lengths and modes of travel

 

hoops tease
hoops tease
Karl Schmidt readies to loose a dart at the Elks Lodge in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Peninsula dart community experiences resurgence

13th Annual Cabin Fever Reliever Dart Tournament was hosted at the Elks Lodge in Kenai last weekend

Karl Schmidt readies to loose a dart at the Elks Lodge in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River’s Roope Tuomioksa works to keep the puck from Anchorage’s Jackson Stimple moments before scoring a goal at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, Jan. 25, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Friday: Brown Bears fall to Wolverines

The Kenai River Brown Bears took their 10th consecutive loss Friday when they fell 2-1 to the Anchorage Wolverines in North American Hockey League play… Continue reading

Kenai River’s Roope Tuomioksa works to keep the puck from Anchorage’s Jackson Stimple moments before scoring a goal at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, Jan. 25, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central’s Avery Martin exhales into the frigid air Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

State hockey comes to Soldotna

There hasn’t been a state tournament on the peninsula since late 2011

Kenai Central’s Avery Martin exhales into the frigid air Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Bryce Butler pulls an athlete from Chickaloon up and over to win a round of the Inuit stick pull during the Kahtnuht’ana Hey Chi’ula Native Youth Olympics Invitational at Kenai Middle School in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Peninsula athletes compete in Native Youth Olympics invitational

The games are a series of events derived from traditional Alaska Native feats of athleticism

Bryce Butler pulls an athlete from Chickaloon up and over to win a round of the Inuit stick pull during the Kahtnuht’ana Hey Chi’ula Native Youth Olympics Invitational at Kenai Middle School in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Lower left: 2023 Kenai Central High School alum Gavin Langham (#18) and 2021 Soldotna High School alum Dylan Walton battle over the puck in the second period of the annual Kenai/Nikiski and SoHi/Skyview alumni hockey game at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai/Nikiski narrowly defeats Soldotna/Skyview in annual alumni hockey game

The visiting Kenai/Nikiski team eked ahead with roughly four minutes left in the third period

Lower left: 2023 Kenai Central High School alum Gavin Langham (#18) and 2021 Soldotna High School alum Dylan Walton battle over the puck in the second period of the annual Kenai/Nikiski and SoHi/Skyview alumni hockey game at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

State Board of Education bars trans girls from girls high school sports teams

Schools or school districts must create separate athletic categories for cisgender girls and other student athletes

A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Mose Hayes of the Peninsula Oilers delivers to the Anchorage Glacier Pilots on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

From Little League to the Oilers

Homer’s Hayes, Metz are on the same team again

Mose Hayes of the Peninsula Oilers delivers to the Anchorage Glacier Pilots on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
The Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula swim team stands together for a photo at the 2023 Special Olympics Alaska Summer Games at Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo provided by Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula)
The Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula swim team stands together for a photo at the 2023 Special Olympics Alaska Summer Games at Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo provided by Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula)

Swimming to success

Special Olympics swim team brings home more than 30 medals, celebrates community

The Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula swim team stands together for a photo at the 2023 Special Olympics Alaska Summer Games at Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo provided by Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula)
The Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula swim team stands together for a photo at the 2023 Special Olympics Alaska Summer Games at Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo provided by Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula)
A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Peninsula residents protest trans girls in sports at state school board meeting

The Alaska Board of Education last week met at the George A. Navarre Kenai Peninsula Borough Administration Building in Soldotna

A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Lila Dockins, MaKenna DesOrmeaux, and Jaeger Romatz run together during Soldotna Little League Challenger Program game at the Little League Fields in Soldotna, Alaska on Saturday, May 20, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

‘We should not be telling kids that they can’t’

Little League Challenger program gives ‘opportunity’ to kids with physical and developmental challenges

Lila Dockins, MaKenna DesOrmeaux, and Jaeger Romatz run together during Soldotna Little League Challenger Program game at the Little League Fields in Soldotna, Alaska on Saturday, May 20, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, left, presents a proclamation recognizing members of the Kenai Central High School cheer team for wining their thrid straight Division II March Madness state competition during a Kenai City Council meeting on Wednesday, April 19 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. From left: Maya Montague, Genesis Trevino, Sarah Baisden, Taya Swick, Sylvia McGraw, Malena Grieme, Mackenzie Harden, Kalani Holmes, Brooklynn Reed, Brianna Force. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Cheer team gets kudos from Kenai council

KCHS team clinched the top title for Division II Alaska cheer championship for the third year in a row

Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, left, presents a proclamation recognizing members of the Kenai Central High School cheer team for wining their thrid straight Division II March Madness state competition during a Kenai City Council meeting on Wednesday, April 19 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. From left: Maya Montague, Genesis Trevino, Sarah Baisden, Taya Swick, Sylvia McGraw, Malena Grieme, Mackenzie Harden, Kalani Holmes, Brooklynn Reed, Brianna Force. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Cameron Ivanoff, competing for the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, performs the 2-Foot High Kick during the Salamatof Tribe Traditional Native Games Invitational at Kenai Middle School in Kenai, Alaska, on Sunday, April 16, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Salamatof hosts 2nd annual Traditional Native Games

The event stretched from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, with 11 events

Cameron Ivanoff, competing for the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, performs the 2-Foot High Kick during the Salamatof Tribe Traditional Native Games Invitational at Kenai Middle School in Kenai, Alaska, on Sunday, April 16, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River Brown Bears forward Parker Lockwood attacks against the Springfield (Illinois) Jr. Blues on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Living the dream

Kenais Lockwood rode passion from Brown Bears clinic at 7 all the way to a spot on team

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Parker Lockwood attacks against the Springfield (Illinois) Jr. Blues on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Team #2 — Bradley Kishbaugh, of Soldotna, and Ryan Sottosanti, of Wasilla — ride their snowmachine during the 2023 Iron Dog. (Photo provided by Bradley Kishbaugh)

Local racers complete Iron Dog

Three teams featuring Kenai Peninsula athletes crossed the finish line this year, and a fourth participated in the race

Team #2 — Bradley Kishbaugh, of Soldotna, and Ryan Sottosanti, of Wasilla — ride their snowmachine during the 2023 Iron Dog. (Photo provided by Bradley Kishbaugh)
People hold flags of the participating teams of the 2023 Arctic Winter Games in this 2023 photo. (Photo provided by Matfey Reutov)
People hold flags of the participating teams of the 2023 Arctic Winter Games in this 2023 photo. (Photo provided by Matfey Reutov)
Dakota Butler hangs from a wooden pole by only his wrist as he performs the wrist carry during the Kahtnuht’ana Hey Chi’ula NYO Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, at Kenai Middle School in Kenai, Alaska. Butler held on for more than 200 feet, claiming the gold medal in the event. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Camaraderie wins at youth competition

More than 100 athletes from around the region gathered to participate

Dakota Butler hangs from a wooden pole by only his wrist as he performs the wrist carry during the Kahtnuht’ana Hey Chi’ula NYO Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, at Kenai Middle School in Kenai, Alaska. Butler held on for more than 200 feet, claiming the gold medal in the event. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)