Joey Klecka

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Jace Urban points skyward as he scores on North Pole in Saturday's medium-schools semifinal game at Palmer High School.

SoHi football eyeing 5th straight state title against Palmer

A real scare from the North Pole Patriots woke up the mighty Soldotna Stars football program in a state playoff semifinal last weekend.This weekend, with… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Jace Urban points skyward as he scores on North Pole in Saturday's medium-schools semifinal game at Palmer High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Bulldogs senior Brianna Vollertsen gives the ball a tap Thursday evening against Houston at Nikiski High School.

Nikiski volleyball sweeps Houston

Bulldogs senior Ayla Pitt made her return and the Nikiski volleyball team cruised to a dominant sweep of the Houston Hawks on Thursday night at… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Bulldogs senior Brianna Vollertsen gives the ball a tap Thursday evening against Houston at Nikiski High School.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Drewe Zeek gets a touch on the ball while Ituau Tuisaula backs her up in a match against Colony on Wednesday at Soldotna.

SoHi netters get big win over Colony

Losing their star outside hitter was one big test the Soldotna volleyball squad had to deal with this year.Another big test comes this week, when… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna's Drewe Zeek gets a touch on the ball while Ituau Tuisaula backs her up in a match against Colony on Wednesday at Soldotna.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna sophomore Aliann Schmidt (10) and junior Cally Christianson team up to score on Homer sophomore Calla Seay (18) Friday at Soldotna High School.

Volleyball roundup: SoHi sweeps Homer; Kenai, Nikiski, Seward play at Grizzly Invite

The Soldotna Stars swept a nonconference matchup with the Homer Mariners Friday night at Soldotna High School, but they had to work for it. SoHi… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna sophomore Aliann Schmidt (10) and junior Cally Christianson team up to score on Homer sophomore Calla Seay (18) Friday at Soldotna High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna cornerback Jace Urban (9) intercepts a pass from North Pole quarterback Craig Borba late in Saturday's medium-schools semifinal at Palmer High School.

Soldotna football nips North Pole

It takes one to know one, and for 48 minutes on a sun-splashed fall afternoon at Machetanz Field in Palmer, the North Pole Patriots were… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna cornerback Jace Urban (9) intercepts a pass from North Pole quarterback Craig Borba late in Saturday's medium-schools semifinal at Palmer High School.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna quarterback Brandon Crowder hands off in the game against Kenai Central on Saturday at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna. Crowder broke his foot in the game and will be out for the postseason.

Week 1 playoffs preview: SoHi QB Crowder out for season with broken foot

In the course of their unprecedented run of success in Alaska prep football, the Soldotna Stars have been dealt blows that have endangered their state-record… Continue reading

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna quarterback Brandon Crowder hands off in the game against Kenai Central on Saturday at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna. Crowder broke his foot in the game and will be out for the postseason.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski middle hitters Maddy Williams (13) and Jamie Yerkes block a shot from Homer's Mary Hana Bowe in a Southcentral Conference game Tuesday night at Nikiski High School.

Nikiski volleyball scraps out win over Homer

In a season that has been pockmarked with five-set thrillers, the Nikiski volleyball team found itself in a familiar place Tuesday night. The Bulldogs pushed… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski middle hitters Maddy Williams (13) and Jamie Yerkes block a shot from Homer's Mary Hana Bowe in a Southcentral Conference game Tuesday night at Nikiski High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Seward senior Hunter Kratz finishes second to Galena's Hunter Moos in the 1-2-3A boys race at the Bartlett High School trails in Anchorage.

Homer cross-country squads sweep team titles

The sport of cross-country running is often a numbers game when it comes to team battles, so Saturday’s boys-girls championship sweep by the Homer Mariners… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Seward senior Hunter Kratz finishes second to Galena's Hunter Moos in the 1-2-3A boys race at the Bartlett High School trails in Anchorage.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna senior Drewe Zeek (12) blocks a shot from Kenai Central senior Abby Beck (10) Friday at Soldotna High School.

SoHi volleyball tops Kenai; Grace edges Nikiski again

One week after losing one of their best players to a season-ending injury, the Soldotna Stars volleyball team had a lot to play for Friday… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna senior Drewe Zeek (12) blocks a shot from Kenai Central senior Abby Beck (10) Friday at Soldotna High School.

It’s rivalry weekend in prep football

Saturday afternoon at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna, a long-held tradition will receive a new chapter. The 36-year-old rivalry between Kenai Central and Soldotna football… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Cook Inlet Academy midfielder Breonna Delon (38) fights for the ball against Birchwood Christian's Bjorn Peterson Thursday at the Aurora Borealis Conference tournament at the Kenai Sports Complex fields.

CIA coed squad opens Aurora Borealis tourney with victory

A fast start propelled the Cook Inlet Academy coed soccer team to an opening day victory at the Aurora Borealis Conference tournament at the Kenai… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Cook Inlet Academy midfielder Breonna Delon (38) fights for the ball against Birchwood Christian's Bjorn Peterson Thursday at the Aurora Borealis Conference tournament at the Kenai Sports Complex fields.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski sophomore Bethany Carstens winds up for the spike against Kenai Central's Caleigh Jensen (4) and Mayzie Potten Tuesday night at Nikiski High School.

Kenai netters down Nikiski

An early season slate of nonconference matchups with bigger teams has left the Nikiski volleyball team feeling the burn, and Tuesday night was no exception.Kenai… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Nikiski sophomore Bethany Carstens winds up for the spike against Kenai Central's Caleigh Jensen (4) and Mayzie Potten Tuesday night at Nikiski High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna senior Cody Watkins backstrokes in the boys 50-yard IM Friday at the SoHi Pentathlon in Soldotna.

Lindquist takes down record at SoHi Pentathlon

With both their cross-country and swim and dive teams in town for meets, Kodiak High School was well represented over the weekend on the central… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna senior Cody Watkins backstrokes in the boys 50-yard IM Friday at the SoHi Pentathlon in Soldotna.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Eielson defensive back Jerimiah Brown nearly intercepts a pass intended for Nikiski receiver Cody Handley Saturday afternoon at Nikiski High School.

Nikiski falls to Eielson in homecoming game

For a brief moment Saturday afternoon, things looked rosy in the world of Nikiski football. After falling into an early 14-0 hole, the Bulldogs had… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Eielson defensive back Jerimiah Brown nearly intercepts a pass intended for Nikiski receiver Cody Handley Saturday afternoon at Nikiski High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Palmer defensive back Jared Oviok (29) intercepts a pass against Soldotna in a Northern Lights Conference game Sept. 9 at Justin Maile Field. Palmer and Kenai Central will clash tonight in a crucial matchup.

Week 7 preview: Kenai-Palmer game looms large in NLC playoff race

Walking off Justin Maile Field under the fading late-summer twilight after a 42-21 Northern Lights Conference victory over the Palmer Moose, Soldotna football coach Galen… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Palmer defensive back Jared Oviok (29) intercepts a pass against Soldotna in a Northern Lights Conference game Sept. 9 at Justin Maile Field. Palmer and Kenai Central will clash tonight in a crucial matchup.

SoHi volleyball survives Nikiski

The Soldotna Stars rallied from behind to win a 3-2 dogfight over Nikiski in nonconference volleyball action Tuesday night at Nikiski High School, with scores… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer quarterback Jaime Rios (2) stiff arms Nikiski lineman Tyler Litke Saturday at Nikiski High School.

Nikiski clinches playoff spot with win over Homer

Six weeks of the prep football season have done a lot for the new-look Nikiski Bulldogs, and Saturday’s Peninsula Conference clash with the Homer Mariners… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Homer quarterback Jaime Rios (2) stiff arms Nikiski lineman Tyler Litke Saturday at Nikiski High School.
Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central quarterback Chase Gillies tries to avoid getting sacked from Kodiak's Braxton Bolen Saturday afternoon at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Week 5 preview: Getting down to business in conference play

Five weeks into the prep football season has given teams a clearer picture of who is legit and who is a pretender, but nothing is… Continue reading

Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central quarterback Chase Gillies tries to avoid getting sacked from Kodiak's Braxton Bolen Saturday afternoon at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

Nikiski’s Britton wins gold at Masters Worlds Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Nikiski’s Mae Britton didn’t take any shortcuts en route to her winning gold at the Masters Worlds Brazilian Jiu Jitsu championships in Las Vegas, Nevada.… Continue reading

By Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna Stars quarterback Brandon Crowder unleashes a throw against the Palmer Moose in a Friday night matchup at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna.

Soldotna football breaks away from pesky Palmer

Having withstood the physical tests of bigger competition and coming out with a perfect record, the streaking Soldotna Stars approached Friday night’s Northern Lights Conference… Continue reading

By Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion Soldotna Stars quarterback Brandon Crowder unleashes a throw against the Palmer Moose in a Friday night matchup at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna.