Jeff Helminiak

Series preview: Bears vs. Minot Minotauros

Coming off a split in a series in North Dakota on Oct. 6 and 7, the Kenai River Brown Bears and Minot Minotauros meet in… Continue reading

Fairbanks Ice Dogs defenseman Kyle Mayhew protects the puck from Kenai River Brown Bears forward Gil Garcia on Friday, Nov. 3, 2017, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Bears earn split with Ice Dogs

Friday, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs wasted little time in reasserting their dominance in the rivalry with the Kenai River Brown Bears at the Soldotna Regional… Continue reading

Fairbanks Ice Dogs defenseman Kyle Mayhew protects the puck from Kenai River Brown Bears forward Gil Garcia on Friday, Nov. 3, 2017, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Southcentral volleyball preview: Teams fight for 2 state spots

There’s a new wrinkle in the Southcentral Conference volleyball tournament at Homer High School this year, and the goal of coaches is not to worry… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Markuss Komuls shields the puck in a practice at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears’ Komuls seamlessly makes transition from Latvia to America

For some players, coming all the way to Alaska to play junior hockey is daunting. Not for Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Markuss Komuls. Komuls,… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Markuss Komuls shields the puck in a practice at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears, Ice Dogs set to renew rivalry

Former Kenai River Brown Bears forward Alec Butcher had just been named the North American Hockey League Most Valuable Player in 2014 when he summed… Continue reading

Soldotna senior Cally Christianson (2) fights against a block by Kenai Central teammates Nikki Prior (5) and Jaiden Streiff Oct. 27 at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi, Kenai volleyball teams to clash in NLC tourney’s 1st round

Soldotna coach Sheila Kupferschmid and Kenai Central co-coach Pako Whannell don’t need to be told anything can happen in the Northern Lights Conference volleyball tournament… Continue reading

Soldotna senior Cally Christianson (2) fights against a block by Kenai Central teammates Nikki Prior (5) and Jaiden Streiff Oct. 27 at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River Brown Bears forward Sutton McDonald eyes the puck in front of a Minnesota player Friday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Magicians take 2 from Brown Bears

It may have been a little unlucky for the Kenai River Brown Bears that, with 51 seconds left in overtime Friday at the Soldotna Regional… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Sutton McDonald eyes the puck in front of a Minnesota player Friday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Clouds roll over a mountain near Cooper Landing on Monday, Oct. 23, 2017. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Bad weather, one step at a time

Especially for those eager to recreate on snow, the weather forecast for the next week is not pretty. Lots of clouds, rain and temperatures in… Continue reading

Clouds roll over a mountain near Cooper Landing on Monday, Oct. 23, 2017. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Magicians

With 14 rookies on the roster, Kenai River Brown Bears head coach Josh Petrich expects to be a lot better in the second half of… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Connor Scahill knocks away the puck during practice Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears’ Scahill flourishes in switch from forward to defense

Connor Scahill would not be playing for the Kenai River Brown Bears right now if the defensemen on his Little Caesers 18U team had not… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Connor Scahill knocks away the puck during practice Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer senior Teddy Croft (8) pitches a handoff to a teammate with Utqiagvik’s Oneahi Talaiasi (52) pressuring him Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, in the ASAA First National Bank Division III state championship at Machetanz Field in Palmer. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer’s Croft earns Division III Offensive Player of Year

The Homer football team capped the most successful season in school history by nabbing one of the major awards and collecting five first-team nods in… Continue reading

Homer senior Teddy Croft (8) pitches a handoff to a teammate with Utqiagvik’s Oneahi Talaiasi (52) pressuring him Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, in the ASAA First National Bank Division III state championship at Machetanz Field in Palmer. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Furlong, Tuisaula, Pomerleau win major awards for SoHi

The Soldotna football program is famous for some impressive streaks — 59 straight games won, 12 straight Northern Lights Conference crowns and six straight Division… Continue reading

Kenai River’s Ross Hanson (14) and David Kaplan wrestle for puck control against Shreveport’s Cole Quisenberry (22) and Dominick Procopio Friday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Friday: Mudbugs spoil Brown Bears home opener

There was plenty of seafood on ice Friday. Just no Mudbugs. Kenai River fans showed joy at having their team back by raining salmon on… Continue reading

Kenai River’s Ross Hanson (14) and David Kaplan wrestle for puck control against Shreveport’s Cole Quisenberry (22) and Dominick Procopio Friday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna juniors Aliann Schmidt and Kodi McGillivray (4) team up to block Nikiski junior Bethany Carstens Tuesday evening at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi volleyball gets back at Nikiski in 4

The host Soldotna volleyball team handed Nikiski its first loss of the season Tuesday in nonconference volleyball action. Just as impressively, the Stars volleyball program… Continue reading

Soldotna juniors Aliann Schmidt and Kodi McGillivray (4) team up to block Nikiski junior Bethany Carstens Tuesday evening at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Season wrestling preview: Homer has new head coach, but same stack of talent

Bethel upped the ante last season at the Division II state wrestling tournament. This year, Homer appears ready to return the favor. In 2015, Homer… Continue reading

Nikiski’s Justin Cox controls Kenai Central’s Brandon Kroto on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, at the Luke Spruill Memorial Tournament at Kenai Central High School. Cox took a 13-1 major decision en route to winning first at 138 pounds. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer captures Luke Spruill tourney

The oddest feature of the prep sports calendar was on display Saturday at Kenai Central High School, when the Homer wrestling team accepted the team… Continue reading

Nikiski’s Justin Cox controls Kenai Central’s Brandon Kroto on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, at the Luke Spruill Memorial Tournament at Kenai Central High School. Cox took a 13-1 major decision en route to winning first at 138 pounds. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Bears get swept in Bismarck, ready to head home

The Kenai River Brown Bears are glad to be coming home. The Brown Bears were swept Friday and Saturday by the host Bismarck (North Dakota)… Continue reading

Nikiski High School athletic director Dylan Hooper strains to hold up Nikiski junior Justin Cox with his beard Tuesday at Nikiski High School. Hooper was attempting to set a world record for most weight pulled by a facial beard, and tentatively broke the standing record of 140 pounds by pulling 145.9 pounds, the body weight of Cox. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikiski’s Hooper sets world record for most weight pulled by beard

It was in 2005 in Dillingham that Nikiski athletic director Dylan Hooper discovered he had a special talent. After wrestling practice one day, someone got… Continue reading

Nikiski High School athletic director Dylan Hooper strains to hold up Nikiski junior Justin Cox with his beard Tuesday at Nikiski High School. Hooper was attempting to set a world record for most weight pulled by a facial beard, and tentatively broke the standing record of 140 pounds by pulling 145.9 pounds, the body weight of Cox. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski duo Rylee Jackson (10) and Jamie Yerkes (9) block a shot from Soldotna’s Ella Stenga, Tuesday at Nikiski High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikiski survives in 5 sets over SoHi

Dylan Hooper’s beard and the Nikiski volleyball team held strong when it counted. On a senior night when Hooper held enough weight from his beard… Continue reading

Nikiski duo Rylee Jackson (10) and Jamie Yerkes (9) block a shot from Soldotna’s Ella Stenga, Tuesday at Nikiski High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Brenner Furlong turns upfield after eluding Kenai’s Jarett Wilson on a kickoff return Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna football defeats Kenai

Kenai Central had a few things go right, but not everything, and that’s what it would have taken to stage an audacious upset of the… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Brenner Furlong turns upfield after eluding Kenai’s Jarett Wilson on a kickoff return Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)