Jeff Helminiak

Homer football swamps Nikiski in the rain

Homer football swamps Nikiski in the rain

Now this finally looked like fall. Yellow speckling through the trees. Football. And rain. Homer defeated host Nikiski 50-18 Friday in a contest that had… Continue reading

Homer football swamps Nikiski in the rain
Vanderford improves to 8-0 in professional MMA

Vanderford improves to 8-0 in professional MMA

Austin Vanderford, a 2008 graduate of Ninilchik School, improved to 8-0 in his professional mixed martial arts career with a win over previously undefeated Joseph… Continue reading

Vanderford improves to 8-0 in professional MMA
Forrest, Swisher, Rose win at Kenai Peninsula Open

Forrest, Swisher, Rose win at Kenai Peninsula Open

Beau Forrest and Halycon Swisher finally got the big prize for which they were looking Sunday at the Kenai Peninsula Open at Birch Ridge Golf… Continue reading

Forrest, Swisher, Rose win at Kenai Peninsula Open
2019 Cross-Country preview: Beeson returns to lead Kardinals

2019 Cross-Country preview: Beeson returns to lead Kardinals

There is a Beeson coaching a fall sport at Kenai Central High School again. No, not Jim Beeson, who rolled up 103 wins in 19… Continue reading

2019 Cross-Country preview: Beeson returns to lead Kardinals
Dexheimer, Swisher, Rose lead Kenai Peninsula Open

Dexheimer, Swisher, Rose lead Kenai Peninsula Open

Aaron Dexheimer fired a 3-under-par 67 to lead the Open Division at the Kenai Peninsula Open on Saturday at Birch Ridge Golf Course, while Halcyon… Continue reading

Dexheimer, Swisher, Rose lead Kenai Peninsula Open
Stars take 3 of 4 team titles at Nikiski Class Races

Stars take 3 of 4 team titles at Nikiski Class Races

The smoke was mildly annoying. The hills were anything but. The cross-country season on the Kenai Peninsula kicked off Monday with the Nikiski Class Races… Continue reading

Stars take 3 of 4 team titles at Nikiski Class Races
Results posted for inaugural Mineshaft Grinder in Hope

Results posted for inaugural Mineshaft Grinder in Hope

The Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area held the inaugural Mineshaft Grinder Race on Saturday in Hope. The Grinder is a series of bike and… Continue reading

Results posted for inaugural Mineshaft Grinder in Hope
Soldotna’s Youngren takes 2nd among women, 3rd overall at Humpy’s Marathon

Soldotna’s Youngren takes 2nd among women, 3rd overall at Humpy’s Marathon

Soldotna’s Megan Youngren took second for the women and third overall Sunday in the Humpy’s Marathon in Anchorage, part of 2019 Anchorage RunFest. Keri Mcentee… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Youngren takes 2nd among women, 3rd overall at Humpy’s Marathon
Kahakauwila, Morin, Hyman win Donald R. Morgan Memorial Club Championship titles

Kahakauwila, Morin, Hyman win Donald R. Morgan Memorial Club Championship titles

Kenai’s Charlie Kahakauwila, Homer’s Chris Morin and Soldotna’s Marianne Hyman won gross titles Sunday at the two-day Donald R. Morgan Memorial Club Championship at windy… Continue reading

Kahakauwila, Morin, Hyman win Donald R. Morgan Memorial Club Championship titles
Kahakauwila has lead at Morgan Club Championship

Kahakauwila has lead at Morgan Club Championship

Chris Morin will have to overcome four players if he wants to win his fifth Donald R. Morgan Club Championship in six years at Kenai… Continue reading

Kahakauwila has lead at Morgan Club Championship
Brewery to Bathroom .5K winner? The fight against cancer

Brewery to Bathroom .5K winner? The fight against cancer

The Brewery to Bathroom .5K “The race for the rest of us” is the perfect satire of the typical fundraising 5K, right down to organizer… Continue reading

Brewery to Bathroom .5K winner? The fight against cancer
Simmering scrimmages: Prep football teams get ready for opening weekend

Simmering scrimmages: Prep football teams get ready for opening weekend

The Kenai Peninsula’s prep football programs scrimmaged Saturday in temperatures in the 70s to get ready for next weekend’s season openers. Soldotna hosted Chugiak in… Continue reading

Simmering scrimmages: Prep football teams get ready for opening weekend
Arneson wins Alaska Mountain Running Grand Prix

Arneson wins Alaska Mountain Running Grand Prix

Anchorage’s Lars Arneson, a 2009 graduate of Cook Inlet Academy, has won the men’s title in the 2019 Alaska Mountain Running Grand Prix. Fellow Anchorage… Continue reading

Arneson wins Alaska Mountain Running Grand Prix
Theisen, Youngren take final Salmon Run Series race of year

Theisen, Youngren take final Salmon Run Series race of year

The five-race Salmon Run Series wrapped up by drawing 87 runners to Tsalteshi Trails on Wednesday. Jordan Theisen, a 2015 Kenai Central graduate and current… Continue reading

Theisen, Youngren take final Salmon Run Series race of year
Results posted for ABC Life Choices Celebrate Life! 5K Run and Walk

Results posted for ABC Life Choices Celebrate Life! 5K Run and Walk

Michael Maloney and Tanis Lorring won the 5-kilometer ABC Life Choices Celebrate Life! 5K Run and Walk on Saturday in Soldotna. Maloney finished in 17… Continue reading

Results posted for ABC Life Choices Celebrate Life! 5K Run and Walk
Owens, Brennan take 5th in shortened Soggy Bottom Challenge

Owens, Brennan take 5th in shortened Soggy Bottom Challenge

Sterling’s Tyle Owens, 17, and Soldotna’s Angie Brennan, 45, led Kenai Peninsula riders Saturday in the Soggy Bottom Challenge mountain bike race. The men’s race… Continue reading

Owens, Brennan take 5th in shortened Soggy Bottom Challenge
Race roundup: Wildlife Resuce Run and Walk; Matanuska Peak Challenge

Race roundup: Wildlife Resuce Run and Walk; Matanuska Peak Challenge

Patrick Lewis and Kristen Sieminski won the 21st annual Alaska Wildlife Rescue Run and Walk on Saturday in Seward. Lewis finished the 5-kilometer course in… Continue reading

Race roundup: Wildlife Resuce Run and Walk; Matanuska Peak Challenge
Steffensen goes from collecting Oilers foul balls to hitting them

Steffensen goes from collecting Oilers foul balls to hitting them

An excited kid came up to Paul Steffensen after a game this year with one of Steffensen’s foul balls. “I told him that used to… Continue reading

Steffensen goes from collecting Oilers foul balls to hitting them
Out of the office: Taking our time on Tutka Backdoor Trail

Out of the office: Taking our time on Tutka Backdoor Trail

“21 miles and 6,000 feet of climb? In four days?” The scene was the lobby of the Kenai Visitor and Cultural Center in mid-April, immediately… Continue reading

Out of the office: Taking our time on Tutka Backdoor Trail
Oilers split doubleheader with Bucs, wait for playoff fate

Oilers split doubleheader with Bucs, wait for playoff fate

The Peninsula Oilers finished their regular season Sunday at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai by splitting a doubleheader against the Anchorage Bucs. Now, Peninsula… Continue reading

Oilers split doubleheader with Bucs, wait for playoff fate