Jeff Helminiak

Soldotna boys, Homer girls skiers capture Homer Invite

Soldotna boys, Homer girls skiers capture Homer Invite

The Soldotna boys and Homer girls cross-country skiing teams won the Homer Invitational at Lookout Mountain on Friday and Saturday. The Stars boys won Friday’s… Continue reading

Soldotna boys, Homer girls skiers capture Homer Invite
Hoops roundup for Thursday

Hoops roundup for Thursday

The Nikolaevsk girls and boys basketball teams won their opening round games Thursday at the Nenana Invitational Tournament. The Nikolaevsk boys defeated Tok 61-59, overcoming… Continue reading

Hoops roundup for Thursday
The Kenai River Brown Bears celebrate a goal against the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel on Jan. 11, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Series preview: Bears look to snap scoring slump against Pilots

The Kenai River Brown Bears enter this weekend’s series against the Topeka (Kansas) Pilots on a six-game losing streak mainly due to a scoring slump.… Continue reading

The Kenai River Brown Bears celebrate a goal against the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel on Jan. 11, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Eagle River’s Lajoie comes of age quickly for Brown Bears

Eagle River’s Lajoie comes of age quickly for Brown Bears

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Brandon Lajoie has joined one club. Now he’s looking to join another. Lajoie joined the club of Eagle River skaters… Continue reading

Eagle River’s Lajoie comes of age quickly for Brown Bears
Crawford, Boonstras triumph at Freezer Food Series

Crawford, Boonstras triumph at Freezer Food Series

Mike Crawford, Kelli Boonstra and Jayna Boonstra picked up wins in the 10th race of the Freezer Food Series on Sunday at the Slikok Trails.… Continue reading

Crawford, Boonstras triumph at Freezer Food Series
Prep ski races canceled; Freezer Food Series moves trailheads

Prep ski races canceled; Freezer Food Series moves trailheads

A tough weekend for skiing saw the Kenai Klassic at Kenai Golf Course canceled Friday, a smaller meet at Tsalteshi Trails canceled Saturday and Sunday’s… Continue reading

Prep ski races canceled; Freezer Food Series moves trailheads
Friday, Saturday prep hoops roundup

Friday, Saturday prep hoops roundup

The Soldotna boys picked up a 42-37 Northern Lights Conference victory at Kodiak on Friday. The game was tied at 21 at the half, but… Continue reading

Friday, Saturday prep hoops roundup
Soldotna hockey tops Houston

Soldotna hockey tops Houston

While the Soldotna hockey team completed a turnaround regular season Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex, Houston looked to be a team eyeing a… Continue reading

Soldotna hockey tops Houston
Nikolaevsk girls, boys open own tourney with wins

Nikolaevsk girls, boys open own tourney with wins

Nikolaevsk girls, boys open own tourney with wins

Nikolaevsk girls, boys open own tourney with wins
Former Soldotna resident competes in Wodapalooza festival

Former Soldotna resident competes in Wodapalooza festival

Former Soldotna resident Robin Johnson, now 20, competed in the massive Wodapalooza Fitness Festival from Thursday to Sunday in Miami, Florida. Johnson, who lived in… Continue reading

Former Soldotna resident competes in Wodapalooza festival
Hoops roundup: SoHi, Nikolaevsk sweep; Kenai girls win; CIA, Ninilchik split

Hoops roundup: SoHi, Nikolaevsk sweep; Kenai girls win; CIA, Ninilchik split

The anticipated battle entering Tuesday night’s hoops showdown between two of the best girls teams on the peninsula didn’t quite live up to the hype.… Continue reading

Hoops roundup: SoHi, Nikolaevsk sweep; Kenai girls win; CIA, Ninilchik split
Seward’s Nyholm finishes H.U.R.T. 100

Seward’s Nyholm finishes H.U.R.T. 100

Seward’s Joe Nyholm finished 46th out of 69 finishers on Sunday in the H.U.R.T. 100 in Honolulu, Hawaii. There were 61 who started and did… Continue reading

Seward’s Nyholm finishes H.U.R.T. 100
Boonstras win Freezer Food Series ski race

Boonstras win Freezer Food Series ski race

Todd Boonstra and Kelli Boonstra won the Freezer Food Series 5K ski race Sunday at Tsalteshi Trails. Todd Boonstra covered the course in 14 minutes,… Continue reading

Boonstras win Freezer Food Series ski race
Woods, Hermanson capture big races at Tsalteshi Besh Cup

Woods, Hermanson capture big races at Tsalteshi Besh Cup

Sticky enough to stride up the steepest uphills and slick enough to power through everything else. That’s the type of skis Alaska Winter Stars coach… Continue reading

Woods, Hermanson capture big races at Tsalteshi Besh Cup
Jr. Blues complete 3-game sweep of Bears

Jr. Blues complete 3-game sweep of Bears

The Kenai River Brown Bears won one period on a Friday night where they badly needed to win the whole game, and lost one period… Continue reading

Jr. Blues complete 3-game sweep of Bears
Hoops roundup: Kenai girls, boys finish 2nd at Joe T. Classic

Hoops roundup: Kenai girls, boys finish 2nd at Joe T. Classic

The Kenai Central boys lost 59-36 to Monroe Catholic on Saturday at the Joe T. Classic at Lathrop in what amounted to the championship game… Continue reading

Hoops roundup: Kenai girls, boys finish 2nd at Joe T. Classic
Prep hoops roundup: Nikiski girls win big

Prep hoops roundup: Nikiski girls win big

The Nikiski girls basketball team opened with a huge win, while the Bulldogs boys started with a tight loss, Thursday at the Rus Hitchcock Nikiski… Continue reading

Prep hoops roundup: Nikiski girls win big
The summit of Vista Trail on Skilak Loop Road, seen Nov. 23, 2018, while waiting for skiing to come to the central Kenai Peninsula. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Out of the Office: Power of the Culture of the North

First, a few confessions. On Nov. 10, 2018, I marked the first snowfall of the season by getting off work and immediately bolting to the… Continue reading

The summit of Vista Trail on Skilak Loop Road, seen Nov. 23, 2018, while waiting for skiing to come to the central Kenai Peninsula. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River Brown Bears goalie Gavin Enright tracks the puck for a save as defenseman Connor Scahill looks on Friday, Nov. 3, 2018, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Series preview: Brown Bears look to get back on track vs. Jr. Blues

After a disappointing weekend sweep at the hands of the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel, the Kenai River Brown Bears don’t have to wait long for a… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears goalie Gavin Enright tracks the puck for a save as defenseman Connor Scahill looks on Friday, Nov. 3, 2018, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Skier Pete Sprague participates in the first annual Tour of Tsalteshi ski race on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018.

Tsalteshi features weekends of ski racing for next 5 weeks

The next five weeks at Tsalteshi Trails feature eight scheduled ski races — encompassing everything from two races for some of the best skiers in… Continue reading

Skier Pete Sprague participates in the first annual Tour of Tsalteshi ski race on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018.