Sports

The author gets caught off guard while working at the Peninsula Clarion in 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Ben Boettger)

Out of the Office: For good, for now

“Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes.” If that figure immediately transports you to the famous number from the musical “Rent,” you’ve caught my drift.… Continue reading

The author gets caught off guard while working at the Peninsula Clarion in 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Ben Boettger)
Melting ice patch in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. (Photo provided by National Park Service)

Refuge Notebook: Ice patch archaeology

Alaska’s mountains and glaciers are beautiful to observe, and many of us enjoy summertime hikes and backpacking among the peaks. Some hardy individuals even undertake… Continue reading

Melting ice patch in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. (Photo provided by National Park Service)
Homer's Hannah Hatfield is defended by Kenai Central's Logan Satathite on Friday, March 12, 2021, at the Southcentral Conference tournament at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak)

Kenai, Homer girls ready for state tourney

The Kenai Central and Homer girls basketball teams open play today at a Class 3A state basketball tournament unlike any other. The tournament had to… Continue reading

Homer's Hannah Hatfield is defended by Kenai Central's Logan Satathite on Friday, March 12, 2021, at the Southcentral Conference tournament at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak)
Soldotna’s Travis Temple, Chad Moore and Cole Crandall at the Valdez Mayor’s Cup on Saturday, March 20, 2021, in Valdez, Alaska. (Photo provided)

Peninsula puts 3 riders in Mayor’s Cup

Soldotna’s Travis Temple led the Kenai Peninsula by taking seventh out of 24 Pro Class racers on Saturday at the Valdez Mayor’s Cup. Temple said… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Travis Temple, Chad Moore and Cole Crandall at the Valdez Mayor’s Cup on Saturday, March 20, 2021, in Valdez, Alaska. (Photo provided)
Seward junior Lydia Jacoby swims in August 2019 at the Speedo Junior National Championships in Stanford, California. (Photo by Jack Spitser)

Seward’s Jacoby nabs Speedo Sectional titles

Seward junior Lydia Jacoby, 17, won the 100- and 200-yard breaststrokes over the weekend at the Spring Speedo Sectional in Phoenix. “I was really excited,”… Continue reading

Seward junior Lydia Jacoby swims in August 2019 at the Speedo Junior National Championships in Stanford, California. (Photo by Jack Spitser)
Anchorage’s Lars Arneson, a 2009 graduate of Cook Inlet Academy, finishes third in the men’s Mount Marathon Race on Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Arneson wins Crazy Lazy

Homer Epic results posted

Anchorage’s Lars Arneson, a 2009 graduate of Cook Inlet Academy, finishes third in the men’s Mount Marathon Race on Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River Brown Bears forward Brandon Lajoie (arm raised) celebrates his first-period goal Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, against the Maine Nordiques at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Anchorage gets an NAHL team

The Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League have a new rival, a new partner and are one step closer to a… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Brandon Lajoie (arm raised) celebrates his first-period goal Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, against the Maine Nordiques at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central’s Gavin Langham defends Soldotna’s Dylan Walton while Kenai goalie Tommy Baker watches Friday, Jan. 29, 2021, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion) Kenai Central’s Gavin Langham defends Soldotna’s Dylan Walton while Kenai goalie Tommy Baker watches Friday, Jan. 29, 2021, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Peninsula All-Conference hockey announced

The Peninsula All-Conference hockey team has been announced: First team — Tommy Baker, Kenai; Jacob Begich, Kenai; Tucker Vann, Kenai; Casey Otis, Homer; Halee Owen,… Continue reading

Kenai Central’s Gavin Langham defends Soldotna’s Dylan Walton while Kenai goalie Tommy Baker watches Friday, Jan. 29, 2021, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion) Kenai Central’s Gavin Langham defends Soldotna’s Dylan Walton while Kenai goalie Tommy Baker watches Friday, Jan. 29, 2021, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River Brown Bears forward Max Helgeson chases the puck along the boards against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Ice Dogs sweep Brown Bears

The Fairbanks Ice Dogs topped the Kenai River Brown Bears on Friday and Saturday in North American Hockey League play in Minnesota. The Ice Dogs… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Max Helgeson chases the puck along the boards against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
hoops

SoHi girls lose in NLC semis

The Soldotna girls basketball team ended its season with a 53-45 loss to Wasilla in the third-place game of the Northern Lights Conference tournament at… Continue reading

hoops
Lumen Christi's Brenden Gregory is mobbed by teammates after hitting the game-winning 3-pointer in the Peninsula Conference championship game against Ninilchik on Friday, March 19, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Lumen Christi sweeps Peninsula Conference titles

Ninilchik boys, CIA girls nab 2nd place

Lumen Christi's Brenden Gregory is mobbed by teammates after hitting the game-winning 3-pointer in the Peninsula Conference championship game against Ninilchik on Friday, March 19, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer's Tonda Smude scores against Kenai Central on Friday, March 12, 2021, at the Southcentral Conference tournament at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer girls get berth to 3A state basketball

The Homer girls basketball team is going to the Class 3A state tournament, starting Thursday in the Matanuska-Susitna valleys. The Mariners were eligible for the… Continue reading

Homer's Tonda Smude scores against Kenai Central on Friday, March 12, 2021, at the Southcentral Conference tournament at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Cook Inlet Academy's Mason Zeigler goes up for a shot against Birchwood Christian's Tyler Huston at the Peninsula Conference tournament Thursday, March 18, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Ninilchik boys, CIA girls make finals

Staff report The Cook Inlet Academy girls and Ninilchik boys moved to the finals of the Peninsula Conference tournament Thursday at Soldotna High School. The… Continue reading

Cook Inlet Academy's Mason Zeigler goes up for a shot against Birchwood Christian's Tyler Huston at the Peninsula Conference tournament Thursday, March 18, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
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SoHi girls move to NLC semis

The Soldotna girls won and the Stars boys lost Thursday at the first day of the Northern Lights Conference tournament at Colony High School. The… Continue reading

hoops tease
Till Lauer

Tangled Up in Blue: Marathon Training

I want to brag for a second, although my self-deprecating side would argue this whole column is just a biweekly boast. After ignoring incessant calls… Continue reading

Till Lauer
A snowmachine at rest in front of the Snag Lake public use cabin. (Photo provided by USFWS)

Preparedness is key to staying safe in the backcountry

If you spend any time in the backcountry it’s bound to happen: an ankle sprain halfway into a day hike, the afternoon blowup that unexpectedly… Continue reading

A snowmachine at rest in front of the Snag Lake public use cabin. (Photo provided by USFWS)
Soldotna senior Morgan Bouschor signs her National Letter of Intent on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. Bouschor is with her father, Jeffrey, her mother, Chrissy, and brothers Eli and Zack. (Photo provided)

SoHi’s Bouschor signs with Portland Community College

Soldotna senior Morgan Bouschor signed a National Letter of Intent on Wednesday at Soldotna High School to play basketball for Portland Community College in Portland,… Continue reading

Soldotna senior Morgan Bouschor signs her National Letter of Intent on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. Bouschor is with her father, Jeffrey, her mother, Chrissy, and brothers Eli and Zack. (Photo provided)
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Lumen Christi carries top seeds into Peninsula Conference tournament

By JEFF HELMINIAK Peninsula Clarion There will be no room for error at a streamlined Peninsula Conference tournament Thursday through Saturday at Soldotna High School.… Continue reading

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Soldotna’s Morgan Bouschor looks for an outlet pass under pressure from Seward’s Shelby Sieminski as Soldotna’s Taylor Edwards looks on at Soldotna High School on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi girls, boys open with mysterious Kodiak

The Soldotna girls and boys basketball teams will open the postseason against a team that did not have a regular season. The Stars, both seeded… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Morgan Bouschor looks for an outlet pass under pressure from Seward’s Shelby Sieminski as Soldotna’s Taylor Edwards looks on at Soldotna High School on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Central High School cheerleading team cheers at the Southcentral Conference tournament Friday, March 16, 2021, at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Southcentral Conference cheerleading awards announced

The cheerleading awards for the Southcentral Conference were announced Tuesday: Region cheer team results: 1. Kenai Central; 2. Anchorage Christian Schools; 3. Homer. Coach of… Continue reading

The Kenai Central High School cheerleading team cheers at the Southcentral Conference tournament Friday, March 16, 2021, at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)