Senior Bailey Buchholz netted four goals in helping the Nikiski Bulldogs to a 6-0 shutout win over the Houston Hawks in Nikiski on Friday afternoon.

Buchholz didn’t even start the game on field, as she and two other players were late, and according to Nikiski coach Mandy Adair, it made a difference.

“It was definitely a big pickup when they were put in,” Adair said.

Along with senior Taylor Calderwood and junior goalkeeper Katie Costello, Buchholz’s presence was immediately felt.

The Soldotna softball team took a Northern Lights Conference win over Kenai on Thursday, pulling away late in the game to win 17-8.

After SoHi put up eight runs in the fourth inning, Kenai only had one opportunity to rally in the bottom of the fourth because of the 90-minute time limit, but struck out when the game ended after only four innings.

“Conditions were the main thing. It seemed that every inning we went out there it started to rain,” said SoHi coach Kelli Knoebel. “We just focused and put our heads down and played solid defense.

Forty-eight years of dedication to education will come to an end next summer when Gary Matthews, the Executive Director of the Alaska School Activities Association, steps down.

Matthews, who submitted a letter of resignation to the ASAA Board of Directors on Tuesday at the spring meeting in Cordova, said it was time to simply hang up the keys.

“I’m approaching the end of my career ...,” Matthews said via phone. “I’m 69 years old, and I’m looking towards retirement.”

Matthews stressed that he will not be involved with the search for his successor.

Baseball season. Feels good just to say it, right?

While a true summer is not upon us just yet, the high school baseball season is preparing to begin its first games, in which Kenai Central, Soldotna and Homer will find out exactly who is the top Peninsula team.

The three teams will attempt to fit into two state berths from the Northern Lights Conference. Last year, only Kenai made the cut. The Kardinals won once in three games en route to a fifth-place finish.