Joey Klecka

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Hutchison goaltender Zach Baxter dives to cover the puck in front of a charging Matthew Daugherty (5) Friday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Soldotna hockey shuts out Hutchison

The Soldotna hockey team won the game 2-0, but Hutchison goalie Zach Baxter won player of the game. The Stars pelted the Hutchison tender with… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Hutchison goaltender Zach Baxter dives to cover the puck in front of a charging Matthew Daugherty (5) Friday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna junior Melia Miller (front) works the paint against Kodiak in a Northern Lights Conference game Saturday at the Soldotna Prep gymnasium.

Soldotna girls, Kodiak boys get weekend sweeps on hardwood

In facing their first Northern Lights Conference opponents of the season, the Soldotna girls basketball squad passed the test. The Stars improved to 5-0 overall… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna junior Melia Miller (front) works the paint against Kodiak in a Northern Lights Conference game Saturday at the Soldotna Prep gymnasium.

SoHi pelts Hutchison in 2-0 win

The Soldotna hockey team won the game 2-0, but Hutchison goalie Zach Baxter won player of the game. The Stars pelted the Hutchison tender with… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central's Rebecca Miller taps the ball from Nikiski's Kelsey Clark as Kenai Central's Jaycie Calvert looks on Thursday at Kenai Central High School.

Kenai basketball sweeps Nikiski

It’s not how fast you start, it’s how strong you finish.The Kenai Central girls overcame a sluggish start and held off a determined Nikiski squad… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central's Rebecca Miller taps the ball from Nikiski's Kelsey Clark as Kenai Central's Jaycie Calvert looks on Thursday at Kenai Central High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion The Kenai Central boys soccer team celebrates its semifinal victory over Service, May 27 at the state soccer championships at Service High School.

Peninsula sports year in review: 2016 brought the action

The calendar year 2016 completed another successful chapter of sports on the Kenai Peninsula, with highs and lows and a few championship rings. Before looking… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion The Kenai Central boys soccer team celebrates its semifinal victory over Service, May 27 at the state soccer championships at Service High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer guard Alyssa Cole (15) battles to block the Barrow Whalers in the Class 3A girls state championship game, Saturday Mar. 26, at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

Southcentral Conference season hoops preview: Loss of seniors for Homer girls, Nikiski boys open wide path for others

Seven teams make up the Class 3A Southcentral basketball conference in both the boys and girls divisions in Alaska. There are only two available automatic… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer guard Alyssa Cole (15) battles to block the Barrow Whalers in the Class 3A girls state championship game, Saturday Mar. 26, at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Kailee Veldstra tries to get out of the trap set by Soldotna's Danica Schmidt and Aliann Schmidt on Friday at Kenai Central High School.

Northern Lights Conference season hoops preview: Kenai, SoHi look to revive programs

In the months following their agonizingly close overtime loss to Wasilla in the Northern Lights Conference basketball semifinals, Kenai Central boys coach Ken Felchle has… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Kailee Veldstra tries to get out of the trap set by Soldotna's Danica Schmidt and Aliann Schmidt on Friday at Kenai Central High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Ethan Pitzman vies for control of the puck against Soldotna's Wyatt Medcoff (16), Thursday evening at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

SoHi hockey blanks Homer

A 12-day period of inactivity failed to slow down the Soldotna hockey team as the Stars put away Homer in a 3-0 North Star Conference… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Ethan Pitzman vies for control of the puck against Soldotna's Wyatt Medcoff (16), Thursday evening at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central senior Keyshawn McEnerny battles with Levi Farris of Palmer in the Class 4A state wrestling championship 152-pound bout, Saturday night at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

McEnerney, Mariners take 2nd at state wrestling

As soon as Homer High School sophomore Luciano Fasulo walked off the mat following his 126-pound state championship victory at the Class 1-2-3A wrestling championships,… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central senior Keyshawn McEnerny battles with Levi Farris of Palmer in the Class 4A state wrestling championship 152-pound bout, Saturday night at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central skier Veronika Budyanu throws her bean bag at the targeted waste bin Friday afternoon at the Tsalteshi ski trails in Soldotna.

Fun rules the day for skiers at Candy Cane Scramble

Friday afternoon offered a welcome respite to the wintertime blues that cross-country skiers have been dealt for several consecutive winters. The powder was deep and… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central skier Veronika Budyanu throws her bean bag at the targeted waste bin Friday afternoon at the Tsalteshi ski trails in Soldotna.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Cook Inlet Academy freshman Robert Walsh looks to the rim against a wall of Kodiak ESSS guards, Thursday night at CIA.

CIA boys return after year away to win

After a year off, the Cook Inlet Academy boys returned in a big way Thursday night at the CIA Classic hoops tournament, holding off Kodiak… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Cook Inlet Academy freshman Robert Walsh looks to the rim against a wall of Kodiak ESSS guards, Thursday night at CIA.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna junior Bechler Metcalf eyes his opponent, Wasilla's Andrue Shepersky, in the 152-pound final at the Northern Lights Conference tournament Saturday, Dec. 10, at Kenai Central High School.

State wrestling happy to be back under one roof

Saturday night is setting up to a showdown of epic proportions at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.The spacious, new, $109 million venue will play… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna junior Bechler Metcalf eyes his opponent, Wasilla's Andrue Shepersky, in the 152-pound final at the Northern Lights Conference tournament Saturday, Dec. 10, at Kenai Central High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Bechler Metcalf of Soldotna wrestles with Wasilla's Andrue Shepersky in the 152-pound championship bout at the Northern Lights Conference tournament Saturday at Kenai Central High School.

Colony claims NLC wrestling tournament

Kenai Central’s was turned a shade of green Saturday, when the Colony Knights took control at the Northern Lights Conference wrestling tournament.Colony stormed its way… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Bechler Metcalf of Soldotna wrestles with Wasilla's Andrue Shepersky in the 152-pound championship bout at the Northern Lights Conference tournament Saturday at Kenai Central High School.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Tristen Cook prepares to pin Colony's Walter Nagel at 182 pounds Saturday in the championship dual of the Peninsula Duals at Nikiski High School.

Area wrestlers ready to chase berths at state meet

In a sport in which team success is spawned from numbers, the Kenai Central and Soldotna wrestling teams will need all the help they can… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer's Tristen Cook prepares to pin Colony's Walter Nagel at 182 pounds Saturday in the championship dual of the Peninsula Duals at Nikiski High School.
Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion Skiers practice on Headquarters Lake in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge on Nov. 30, 2016 near Soldotna.

Groomed for success

The generous helping of snow that saturated the Kenai Peninsula within the past week has given new life to the winter wonderland, and it appears… Continue reading

Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion Skiers practice on Headquarters Lake in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge on Nov. 30, 2016 near Soldotna.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Bechler Metcalf and Kenai Central's Keyshawn McEnerney tie up at 152 pounds at Kenai Central High School on Thursday. Metcalf scored a 10-4 victory.

Soldotna takes dual over Kenai

On a snowy Thursday evening at Kenai Central High School, the Soldotna wrestling team took a commanding 54-18 dual win over the host Kardinals in… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Bechler Metcalf and Kenai Central's Keyshawn McEnerney tie up at 152 pounds at Kenai Central High School on Thursday. Metcalf scored a 10-4 victory.

Waiting for the snow: Peninsula recreationists find other ways to get outside

During recent winters on the central Kenai Peninsula, ice has become the new snow.Following the trend of several consecutive abnormal winters that have left winter… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central's Levi Mese (5) slaps a shot towards Soldotna goaltender Billy Yoder Tuesday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

SoHi blows out Kenai hockey

In their second clash of the year against Kenai Central, the Soldotna Stars rolled to a 9-1 North Star Conference hockey victory Tuesday night at… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central's Levi Mese (5) slaps a shot towards Soldotna goaltender Billy Yoder Tuesday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion A Soldotna skier races by a group of people cheering Jan. 22, 2016, at the Tsalteshi Trails.

Ski preview: Area skiers get antsy for snow

The icy breath of old man winter typically signals that snowy days are ahead, but amid the powder-free crisis that Southcentral Alaska has experienced in… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion A Soldotna skier races by a group of people cheering Jan. 22, 2016, at the Tsalteshi Trails.

Nikiski’s Denison enjoys quick rise in powerlifting

In March of this year, Billie Denison of Nikiski was just five months removed from the birth of her second child, had only flirted with… Continue reading