Jeff Helminiak

Besh Cup returns to Tsalteshi Trails

Besh Cup returns to Tsalteshi Trails

Familiarity was key in the big women’s race Sunday at Besh Cup 4 at Tsalteshi Trails. Unfamiliarity was just as important in the major men’s… Continue reading

Besh Cup returns to Tsalteshi Trails

School district responds to inflammatory tweets posted by hockey player

A pair of tweets from the account of a Soldotna High School hockey player, one coming on Thursday and the other on Friday, created a… Continue reading

Bears split weekend series with Rebels

Bears split weekend series with Rebels

The Kenai River Brown Bears and the Aston (Pennsylvania) Rebels split Friday and Saturday games at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. The Bears won 4-1… Continue reading

Bears split weekend series with Rebels
Goor is rock for Brown Bears, as long as no real brown bears are involved

Goor is rock for Brown Bears, as long as no real brown bears are involved

Kenai River Brown Bears goaltender Robbie Goor prides himself on staying calm when pucks and players are whirring about at blurring speed. He also says… Continue reading

Goor is rock for Brown Bears, as long as no real brown bears are involved

A busy weekend for ski competition on Kenai Peninsula

This weekend will offer a full slate of cross-country skiing competition on the central Kenai Peninsula. The action will start with the Kenai Klassic Duathlon… Continue reading

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Aston Rebels

Of the 25 games left in their season, the Kenai River Brown Bears will play just four out of Alaska and nine total on the… Continue reading

Thursday basketball roundup: Soldotna tops Juneau

The Soldotna boys basketball team opened up play at the Palmer Elks Tournament on Thursday by topping Juneau-Douglas 48-45. Soldotna trailed 21-20 at halftime, but… Continue reading

Thursday’s prep hockey roundup

The Kenai Central hockey team won a second straight wild game, coming back in the third period to topple Bartlett in nonconference action Thursday in… Continue reading

Soldotna forward Galen Brantley III fires a shot wide on Palmer goalie Cody Grogan on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Weekend hockey roundup: Kenai, SoHi get wins over Palmer

The Soldotna hockey team focused on the penalty kill in practice this week. The Stars also had a team meeting preaching more effort after Thursday’s… Continue reading

Soldotna forward Galen Brantley III fires a shot wide on Palmer goalie Cody Grogan on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Rebels take 2 from Brown Bears

The host Aston (Pennsylvania) Rebels swept the Kenai River Brown Bears on Friday and Saturday in North American Hockey League action, winning by scores of… Continue reading

Friday’s prep hoops roundup

The Kenai Central boys basketball team lost 44-33 to Dimond on Friday in the semifinals of the Alaska Prep Shootout at Dimond. The Kards play… Continue reading

Saturday hoops roundup

The Soldotna boys wrapped up a 1-2 weekend at the Joe T. Classic tournament in Fairbank with a 48-46 loss to Eielson Saturday at Lathrop… Continue reading

Basketball roundup

Staff report The Kenai Central boys basketball team opened the Alaska Prep Shootout at Dimond High School on Thursday with a 54-48 victory over Grace… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion First-year Cook Inlet Academy boys head coach Ryan McMilin keeps a close eye on the action, Dec. 15, at the CIA Classic Tournament in Soldotna.

Peninsula Conference basketball preview: Chasing the Ninilchik boys

The task before the Peninsula Conference, and all of Class 1A boys basketball for that matter, was neatly summed up on the opening weekend of… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion First-year Cook Inlet Academy boys head coach Ryan McMilin keeps a close eye on the action, Dec. 15, at the CIA Classic Tournament in Soldotna.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Sam McElroy goes up for a shot against Ninilchik's Austin White on Friday at Soldotna High School.

Dimond boys knock off Ninilchik for Tip-Off crown

When Ninilchik coach Nick Finley loaded his schedule with teams from bigger schools, this is what he had in mind. The Wolverines, from the smallest… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Sam McElroy goes up for a shot against Ninilchik's Austin White on Friday at Soldotna High School.

Variety is the spice of “Fight Before Christmas”

Variety is about to become the spice of the Kenai Peninsula fight scene.Mat Plant of Power Plant Productions is the only fight promoter currently operating… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Brenner Furlong squeezes past West's Will Troxel into the end zone for a third-quarter touchdown Friday at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna. The Stars won 49-30.

SoHi’s Furlong earns Gatorade Player of Year for Alaska in football

Since the first week of the 2012 season, the Soldotna football program has won everything there is to win — almost.The Stars are on a… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Brenner Furlong squeezes past West's Will Troxel into the end zone for a third-quarter touchdown Friday at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna. The Stars won 49-30.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion The Brown Bears mob goalie Robbie Goor after a 5-2 victory over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Brown Bears take Friday, Saturday contests from Ice Dogs

Breakthroughs often don’t come subtly. The Kenai River Brown Bears beat the rival Fairbanks Ice Dogs 5-2 on Friday and 6-3 on Saturday in North… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion The Brown Bears mob goalie Robbie Goor after a 5-2 victory over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Christopher Lipe, Luke Radetic, Lucas Carroll and Jonathan Marzec celebrate Radetic's goal in the second period Friday at the Soldotna Regiona Sports Complex.

Radetic restarts career with Brown Bears

Luke Radetic thought his hockey career might be over.Radetic grew up getting coached by one of the best American goal scorers of all time. He… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Christopher Lipe, Luke Radetic, Lucas Carroll and Jonathan Marzec celebrate Radetic's goal in the second period Friday at the Soldotna Regiona Sports Complex.

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Ice Dogs

Both the Kenai River Brown Bears and the Fairbanks Ice Dogs will look to snap lengthy losing streaks when the two teams face off this… Continue reading