Jeff Helminiak

Tough course to greet Region III runners

In the land where mountains are often used as venues for running races, calling the Government Peak Recreation Area, site of Saturday’s Region III cross-country… Continue reading

Bears ready to drop puck on 2017-18 season

Today at 7 a.m. ADT at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota, the puck will drop on a 2017-18 Kenai River Brown Bears season… Continue reading

Seward sweeps Kenai Central in volleyball

The host Kenai Central volleyball team was looking to build on a positive weekend at the West Spiketacular, but ran into mostly disappointment Tuesday in… Continue reading

Kenai boys, SoHi girls swim to Kenai Invite crowns

Kenai boys, SoHi girls swim to Kenai Invite crowns

The Soldotna girls and Kenai Central boys used different methods to win the Kenai Invitational on Friday and Saturday at Kenai Central High School. The… Continue reading

Kenai boys, SoHi girls swim to Kenai Invite crowns
Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Preston Weeks controls the puck last season at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. Weeks has been named captain of this year’s team. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears name Weeks captain, get ready for scrimmage

In the rough and tumble world of the North American Hockey League, everybody is seldom a winner. The rare exception will come tonight and Saturday… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Preston Weeks controls the puck last season at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. Weeks has been named captain of this year’s team. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Fall Brawl features local flavor

The Fall Brawl tonight at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex will have a distinct local flavor. There will be nine fights in various disciplines, from… Continue reading

Kenai Central High School runner Maison Dunham pulls ahead of the pack nearing the end of the varisy boys race at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Cross-Country Running Championships on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. Soldotna High School took first overall out of the varsity boys teams, and the Kenai team claimed the top spot for the girls. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Kenai girls, SoHi boys win borough cross-country titles

The Kenai Central girls and boys took three of the four championships Tuesday at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Cross-Country Running Championships at Lookout Mountain in… Continue reading

Kenai Central High School runner Maison Dunham pulls ahead of the pack nearing the end of the varisy boys race at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Cross-Country Running Championships on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. Soldotna High School took first overall out of the varsity boys teams, and the Kenai team claimed the top spot for the girls. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Stars finish 2-1 on NLC homestand

Stars finish 2-1 on NLC homestand

The Colony and Soldotna volleyball teams played in a five-game match for the first time this season Friday, and it showed. Pressure was a factor… Continue reading

Stars finish 2-1 on NLC homestand
Kenai Central’s Hayley Maw passes the ball against Palmer on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Palmer volleyball sweeps Kenai

The Palmer volleyball team rolled to a 25-17, 25-14 and 25-12 Northern Lights Conference victory over host Kenai Central on Wednesday. “I thought we started… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Hayley Maw passes the ball against Palmer on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears to hold Grub N Growl on Friday, Brown and Gold Game on Saturday

As their season opener approaches Sept. 20 and their home opener looms Oct. 20, the Kenai River Brown Bears will have two events this weekend… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Faith Ivy takes second in the 100-yard breaststroke Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, at the Kenai Quad Meet at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi girls, Kenai boys win Kenai Quad Meet

Soldotna swimming and diving coach Angie Brennan had plenty of highlights she could have pointed to after the Kenai Quad Meet on Friday at Kenai… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Faith Ivy takes second in the 100-yard breaststroke Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, at the Kenai Quad Meet at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Swimming season preview: New coaches are familiar faces

Three of the four swimming and diving programs at Kenai Peninsula high schools have new head coaches, but the new leaders are not unfamiliar. Angie… Continue reading

Birch Ridge assistant pro Beau Forrest hits an approach shot to No. 18 during a playoff at the Kenai Peninsula Open at Birch Ridge Golf Course on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Nelson tops Forrest in playoff for Kenai Peninsula Open title

Palmer Golf Course pro Rob Nelson rode a dominating performance on the No. 9/18 hole complex at Birch Ridge Golf Course to a championship in… Continue reading

Birch Ridge assistant pro Beau Forrest hits an approach shot to No. 18 during a playoff at the Kenai Peninsula Open at Birch Ridge Golf Course on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski’s Kaitlyn Johnson passes the ball Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, at the Shayna Pritchard Memorial Tournament at Nikiski. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikiski wins Pritchard tourney for 1st time

Two volleyball rivals. Intense defense. An incredibly emotional victory for one side. What month is it, anyway? Nikiski defeated Seward 16-25, 25-19 and 15-13 to… Continue reading

Nikiski’s Kaitlyn Johnson passes the ball Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, at the Shayna Pritchard Memorial Tournament at Nikiski. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski’s Kaitlyn Johnson (8) jumps up in excitement along with the Nikiski bench Nov. 11, 2016, at the Class 3A state volleyball tournament at the Alaska Airlines Arena in Anchorage.

2017 season volleyball preview: Nikiski, Seward hungry for more at state

Experience and success are often closely linked in a sport like volleyball, where the delicate, quick-trigger oneness of a team is molded by years of… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski’s Kaitlyn Johnson (8) jumps up in excitement along with the Nikiski bench Nov. 11, 2016, at the Class 3A state volleyball tournament at the Alaska Airlines Arena in Anchorage.

Brown Bears start training camp

The Kenai River Brown Bears opened up training camp Monday at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility, preparing for their season opener Sept. 20 in Minnesota against… Continue reading

Chris Morin putts for birdie on the 18th green Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017, at the Kenai Golf Course during the Kenai Open. Morin’s putt came up short and the three-time defending champ lost by one stroke to Max Dye. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Dye holds off Morin, Eskelin for Kenai Open title

Bobby Jones famously said, “Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half inch course … the space between your ears.” That statement was cast in… Continue reading

Chris Morin putts for birdie on the 18th green Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017, at the Kenai Golf Course during the Kenai Open. Morin’s putt came up short and the three-time defending champ lost by one stroke to Max Dye. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Out of the Office: Beliefs, perceptions and the summits of Cooper Landing

I send photos from my hikes to family members, and this summer, my 3-year-old nephew had seen enough. He complained the images were useless to… Continue reading

West’s Declan Dammeyer and Ethan Davis fail to catch Dimond’s Santiago Prosser in the final steps of the boys race Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, at the Tsalteshi Invitational. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Gibson, Kenai girls win Tsalteshi Invite

#EndOnEmpty is off to a good start. Led by an individual championship from Addison Gibson, the Kenai Central girls, spurred on by this year’s team… Continue reading

West’s Declan Dammeyer and Ethan Davis fail to catch Dimond’s Santiago Prosser in the final steps of the boys race Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, at the Tsalteshi Invitational. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Jordan Beachy finishes off a fifth place finish at the Region III Championships at Tsalteshi Trails in September 2016. Beachy led the Mariners to a Class 3A title that day and returns this season. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Cross-country preview 2017: Peninsula squads will hunt state glory again

If the Kenai Central girls cross-country team is going to reclaim the Class 4A state title, they are going to have to rely on familiar… Continue reading

Jordan Beachy finishes off a fifth place finish at the Region III Championships at Tsalteshi Trails in September 2016. Beachy led the Mariners to a Class 3A title that day and returns this season. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)