Jeff Helminiak

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski goalie Brianna Vollertsen stretches for a save Monday at Nikiski High School in front of Kenai Central's Sam Morse and Nikiski's Avery Kornstad.

Kenai soccer sweeps Nikiski

Nikiski girls soccer coach Troy Zimmerman is trying to convince his team of just how much they have improved this season. The scores continue to… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski goalie Brianna Vollertsen stretches for a save Monday at Nikiski High School in front of Kenai Central's Sam Morse and Nikiski's Avery Kornstad.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Joey Becher dives for first base just before Kenai Central first baseman XXX catches the ball Wednesday at the Kenai Little League fields.

SoHi baseball escapes stronger Kenai team with win

The Soldotna baseball team kept its perfect record, while the Kenai Central baseball team kept getting better.The Stars topped the Kardinals 11-7 on Wednesday at… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Joey Becher dives for first base just before Kenai Central first baseman XXX catches the ball Wednesday at the Kenai Little League fields.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Kyle Johnson (17) tags home plate to score a run behind Kenai Central catcher Taylor Landry Tuesday evening at the Kenai Little League Fields.

Homer baseball escapes Kenai with victory

The Homer baseball team got five runs from batters who had reached on walks in defeating Kenai Central 10-8 on Tuesday in Southcentral Conference action… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Kyle Johnson (17) tags home plate to score a run behind Kenai Central catcher Taylor Landry Tuesday evening at the Kenai Little League Fields.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central pitcher Gavin Petterson delivers a pitch to Soldotna batter Matthew Daugherty Tuesday at the Soldotna ball fields.

SoHi baseball wins big over Kenai

The Soldotna baseball team showed off its depth and experience in a 13-3 victory in five innings over Kenai Central on Tuesday at the Soldotna… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central pitcher Gavin Petterson delivers a pitch to Soldotna batter Matthew Daugherty Tuesday at the Soldotna ball fields.
Clarion file photo Delaney Crosby-Schneider takes a ball last season. Crosby-Schneider and an experienced group return for the Stars this season.

Softball preview 2016: Kenai, SoHi try to shake up conference; Homer wants to keep things the same

Homer is fine with the status quo in the Northern Lights Conference, while Kenai Central and Soldotna are looking to shake things up a little.The… Continue reading

Clarion file photo Delaney Crosby-Schneider takes a ball last season. Crosby-Schneider and an experienced group return for the Stars this season.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central striker Samantha Morse (center, white) taps the ball over a crowd of Nikiski defenders for a goal Tuesday evening at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Kenai soccer sweeps Nikiski, SoHi sweeps Homer

The host Kenai Central soccer teams swept Nikiski on Tuesday, with the boys winning 5-1 and the girls taking a 7-0 decision. It was the… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central striker Samantha Morse (center, white) taps the ball over a crowd of Nikiski defenders for a goal Tuesday evening at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Molly Streich, of Kenai, hits an approach shot to the eighth green at Kenai Golf Course on Sunday as Billy Anderson, of Nikiski, observes. When Streich asked Anderson if he wanted to golf Sunday, Anderson didn't believe the course was open. The course opened Tuesday, the earliest opening ever.

Birch Ridge, Kenai Golf Course set records for early opening dates

It’s a rite of spring enjoyed by golfers in the northern half of the Lower 48 — watch the Masters on Sunday, get out and… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Molly Streich, of Kenai, hits an approach shot to the eighth green at Kenai Golf Course on Sunday as Billy Anderson, of Nikiski, observes. When Streich asked Anderson if he wanted to golf Sunday, Anderson didn't believe the course was open. The course opened Tuesday, the earliest opening ever.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sweeper Kylie Morse (left) battles for the ball with South Anchorage's Alex Ott Saturday afternoon at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Friday soccer: South sweeps SoHi

In the past, when the Soldotna soccer teams learned what it is like to take the field with state behemoth South, the season was pretty… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sweeper Kylie Morse (left) battles for the ball with South Anchorage's Alex Ott Saturday afternoon at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Brown Bears season review: Worlton’s solution for Bears – win

The plan of Kenai River Brown Bears head coach Jeff Worlton to turn around the organization is as simple to say as it is hard… Continue reading

Lowery takes Kenai football job in search of community

There are a number of things that jump out when reviewing a list of new Kenai Central head football coach Davis Lowery’s accomplishments.But to departing… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Eagle River's Dylan Johnson battles for the ball with Kenai Central's Ean Atchley while the Kardinals' Rykker Riddall watches Friday, April 8, 2016, at Kenai Central High School.

Kenai soccer sweeps Eagle River

The host Kenai Central soccer teams swept nonconference games from Eagle River on Friday, with the boys pulling away for a 4-0 victory and the… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Eagle River's Dylan Johnson battles for the ball with Kenai Central's Ean Atchley while the Kardinals' Rykker Riddall watches Friday, April 8, 2016, at Kenai Central High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sophomore Zack Tuttle (23) heads the ball amid a pack of players Wednesday against Homer at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. The Kardinals defeated the Mariners 4-0.

Boys soccer preview: What a difference the turf makes

The difference artificial turf makes in the soccer season is clear on the central Kenai Peninsula — Soldotna and Kenai Central have been practicing outside… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central sophomore Zack Tuttle (23) heads the ball amid a pack of players Wednesday against Homer at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai. The Kardinals defeated the Mariners 4-0.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Sophomore Rykker Riddall sets the record in the Freshmen/Sophomore Clean on Wednesday in the Speed and Strength Training competition. At left, yelling encouragement, is Riddall's father, Ted Riddall.

SST competition continues to gain strength

With music pumping through the air, the bleachers strewn with enthusiastic spectators and a couple of world-champion discoveries to its credit, it was hard to… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Sophomore Rykker Riddall sets the record in the Freshmen/Sophomore Clean on Wednesday in the Speed and Strength Training competition. At left, yelling encouragement, is Riddall's father, Ted Riddall.
Area athletes help Alaska win ulu count, Hodgson Trophy at Arctic Winter Games

Area athletes help Alaska win ulu count, Hodgson Trophy at Arctic Winter Games

Kenai Peninsula athletes helped Team Alaska take the most ulus and take the Hodgson Trophy at the Arctic Winter Games, held from March 6 to… Continue reading

Area athletes help Alaska win ulu count, Hodgson Trophy at Arctic Winter Games
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Jake Hartje (4) and goalie Nick Nast successfully keep the puck from going in the net Friday, March 25, 2016, against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Knights pull off sweep of Brown Bears

The happy homecoming continues for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Pennsylvania) coach Tom Kowal. Kowal, who was born and raised in Anchorage, pulled three points out of Fairbanks last… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Jake Hartje (4) and goalie Nick Nast successfully keep the puck from going in the net Friday, March 25, 2016, against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Jake Hartje controls the puck March 18 against the New Jersey Titans at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Brown Bears’ Hartje gets ice time, Alaska time

Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Jake Hartje came here for hockey experience. He ended up getting a bit of the Alaska experience as well.Hartje, 19,… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Jake Hartje controls the puck March 18 against the New Jersey Titans at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Knights

The Kenai River Brown Bears haven’t had a week of practice like this all season.More specifically, the Brown Bears haven’t had a week of practice… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River Brown Bears forward Joey Sardina scores a third-period, power-play goal on New Jersey Titans goalie Spencer Wright on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Brown Bears snap 17-game skid

The Kenai River Brown Bears snapped a 17-game losing streak with a 3-2 overtime victory against the New Jersey Titans on Saturday in front of… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai River Brown Bears forward Joey Sardina scores a third-period, power-play goal on New Jersey Titans goalie Spencer Wright on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

While finishing out rough season, Brown Bears put building blocks in place for future

With just seven games left in the season and any hope of the playoffs long since evaporated, Kenai River Brown Bears head coach Jeff Worlton… Continue reading

Nikiski boys earn WPI berth for first state appearance since 2002; Other peninsula qualifers learn opponents

Head coach Reid Kornstad and the Nikiski boys basketball program had waited since 2002 for a state berth, so what difference did a few extra… Continue reading