Sports

Thursday, March 18, 2021, file photo shows syringes filled with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a pop up site in the Queens borough of New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Tangled Up in Blue: Second dose

A few weeks removed from my second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and I’m still in shock. First, I’m in shock at how crappy… Continue reading

  • Apr 15, 2021
  • By KAT SORENSEN For the Clarion
Thursday, March 18, 2021, file photo shows syringes filled with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a pop up site in the Queens borough of New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Caleb O'Hara works to a major decision of Kenai Central's Talon Whicker at 125 pounds Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Matchups for area wrestlers continue

Kenai Peninsula wrestlers Tuesday continued with a series of meets designed to get wrestlers ready for the big tournaments at the end of the season.… Continue reading

Caleb O'Hara works to a major decision of Kenai Central's Talon Whicker at 125 pounds Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Lydia Jacoby celebrates her commitment to the University of Texas in Seward recently. (Photo by Leslie Jacoby)

Seward’s Jacoby takes 2nd to Olympic champion

Seward junior Lydia Jacoby, 17, set a new personal record in finishing second to Olympic champion and world record holder Lilly King on Friday in… Continue reading

Lydia Jacoby celebrates her commitment to the University of Texas in Seward recently. (Photo by Leslie Jacoby)
Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Shayne Monahan controls the puck early in the third period as 1,113 fans watch Friday, March 24, 2017, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Spectator limit at sports complex drops to 250

Brown Bears move pair of games back to May

Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Shayne Monahan controls the puck early in the third period as 1,113 fans watch Friday, March 24, 2017, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Central high school cheerleading team. Back row, left to right: Karley Harden, Nia Calvert, Katie Stockton, Rileigh Pace and Kyrie Medina. Middle row: Karah Huff, Melena Grieme, Calani Holmes and Maya Montague. Front row: Emmalee Roney, Kaitlyn Taylor and Kori Moore. (Photo courtesy of Rebecca Beddow of BeKaptured Photography)

Kenai cheerleaders nab Division II state title

The Kenai Central cheerleading team won the Division II March Madness state cheerleading competition Tuesday. The competition was virtual this year due to the coronavirus… Continue reading

The Kenai Central high school cheerleading team. Back row, left to right: Karley Harden, Nia Calvert, Katie Stockton, Rileigh Pace and Kyrie Medina. Middle row: Karah Huff, Melena Grieme, Calani Holmes and Maya Montague. Front row: Emmalee Roney, Kaitlyn Taylor and Kori Moore. (Photo courtesy of Rebecca Beddow of BeKaptured Photography)
Soldotna's Ezekiel Miller controls Kenai Central's Owen Whicker at 130 pounds Friday, April 9, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. Miller won by major decision, 11-1. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Wrestling: SoHi hosts Kenai; Nikiski hosts Seward, Homer

Kenai Peninsula wrestlers continued to compete in unscored dual meets Friday. The meets give coaches the chance to give wrestlers the best matchups without having… Continue reading

Soldotna's Ezekiel Miller controls Kenai Central's Owen Whicker at 130 pounds Friday, April 9, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. Miller won by major decision, 11-1. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
AJ LaMonda

Oilers get ready for season with new GM

The Peninsula Oilers, after taking the summer of 2020 off due to the coronavirus pandemic, have hired a new general manager and are preparing for… Continue reading

AJ LaMonda
Bleached, dying elodea in Sandpiper Lake on Aug. 28, 2020. (Photo by Mark Laker/USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: Update on non-native species in refuge

While some planned projects at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge were put on hold in summer 2020 due the pandemic, we in the refuge’s biology… Continue reading

Bleached, dying elodea in Sandpiper Lake on Aug. 28, 2020. (Photo by Mark Laker/USFWS)
Michael Armstrong is properly outfitted for an Arctic summer hiking trip in this photo taken in 1989 along the Wulik River in northeastern Alaska. (Photo by Charles Barnwell.)

Out of the Office: Living in Alaska is a lifetime in learning

From boots to parkas, there’s lots to figure out about surviving in the Last Frontier

Michael Armstrong is properly outfitted for an Arctic summer hiking trip in this photo taken in 1989 along the Wulik River in northeastern Alaska. (Photo by Charles Barnwell.)
Mariner Austin Cline, top, attempts a take down of Kardinal Owen Whicker, bottom, in a wrestling meet on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, in the Alice Witte Gym at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Area wrestlers compete in duals

Kenai Peninsula wrestlers continued to participate in unscored dual meets Tuesday. The unscored dual meets allow coaches to get wrestlers the best matchups possible, without… Continue reading

Mariner Austin Cline, top, attempts a take down of Kardinal Owen Whicker, bottom, in a wrestling meet on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, in the Alice Witte Gym at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
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)

Brown Bears cap Steel series with victory

The Kenai River Brown Bears finished 1-2 in a three-game series against the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel, finishing the series with a 3-2 win Saturday at… 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 Tucker Vann and Nikiski's Caileb Payne tangle Friday, April 3, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. Vann won by an 11-6 decision. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Wrestlers sharpen skills with local meets

Kenai Peninsula wrestling teams continued to sharpen their competitive edge with unscored dual meets Friday. Soldotna, Kenai and Nikiski gathered for a meet at Soldotna,… Continue reading

Kenai Central's Tucker Vann and Nikiski's Caileb Payne tangle Friday, April 3, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. Vann won by an 11-6 decision. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Steel top Brown Bears

The Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel notched a 3-2 victory over the Kenai River Brown Bears on Thursday in North American Hockey League action at the Schwan… Continue reading

Morel species collected from the Kenai Peninsula. Clockwise from upper left: Norwegian morel, beautiful morel, excellent morel, sixth black morel, exuberant morel and gray morel. (Photos by Matt Bowser and Colin Canterbury/USFWS)

Refuge Notebook: A new perspective on Kenai morels

Years ago, a co-worker shared with me a place where morels appeared at the bases of cottonwood trees. I have found them at that same… Continue reading

Morel species collected from the Kenai Peninsula. Clockwise from upper left: Norwegian morel, beautiful morel, excellent morel, sixth black morel, exuberant morel and gray morel. (Photos by Matt Bowser and Colin Canterbury/USFWS)
Hannah Lafleur skis through Resurrection Pass on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska on March 29, 2021. (Photo by Kat Sorensen)

Tangled Up in Blue: Passing through

I started writing this column 17 miles into a three-day, 38-mile ski. We had just reached the pass part of the Resurrection Pass trail, where… Continue reading

Hannah Lafleur skis through Resurrection Pass on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska on March 29, 2021. (Photo by Kat Sorensen)
Soldotna's Travis Temple and Chad Moore accept awards from Cindi Herman of Skwentna Roadhouse after the 5th Annual Skwentna XC Snowmachine Race on Saturday, March 27, 2021. (Photo provided)

Temple, Moore take 3rd at Skwentna 200

Travis Temple and Chad Moore, both of Soldotna, finished third in the 5th Annual Skwentna 200 XC Snowmachine Rally on Saturday. Temple said the result… Continue reading

Soldotna's Travis Temple and Chad Moore accept awards from Cindi Herman of Skwentna Roadhouse after the 5th Annual Skwentna XC Snowmachine Race on Saturday, March 27, 2021. (Photo provided)
Homer's Nestor Kalugin tries to control Nikiski's Simon Grenier at 171 pounds Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. Grenier won by 10-4 decision. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikiski wrestlers sweep tri meet

Wrestlers competed in a pair of tri meets Tuesday on the Kenai Peninsula. At Nikiski High School, the Bulldogs defeated Grace Christian 18-16 and Homer… Continue reading

Homer's Nestor Kalugin tries to control Nikiski's Simon Grenier at 171 pounds Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. Grenier won by 10-4 decision. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Erika Arthur signs her National Letter of Intent on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. Behind her are grandparents, Mike and Gloria Sweeney; brother, Andrew Arthur; and mother, Krista Arthur. (Photo provided)

SoHi’s Arthur commits to Carroll College

Soldotna senior Erika Arthur signed a National Letter of Intent to run in the track and field program at Carroll College in Helena, Montana. Carroll… Continue reading

Erika Arthur signs her National Letter of Intent on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. Behind her are grandparents, Mike and Gloria Sweeney; brother, Andrew Arthur; and mother, Krista Arthur. (Photo provided)
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)

Bears’ Helgeson commits to Division I Lindenwood

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Max Helgeson of Anchorage has committed to play NCAA Division I hockey at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. According… 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)
Soldotna senior Autumn Fischer signs her National Letter of Intent on Friday, March 26, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. Next to Autumn is her father, Eric Fischer. In the back row is mother, Judith Fischer, and sister, Brook Fischer. (Photo provided)

SoHi’s Fischer signs with Penn State Mont Alto

Soldotna senior Autumn Fischer signed her National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Penn State Mont Alto of the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference.… Continue reading

Soldotna senior Autumn Fischer signs her National Letter of Intent on Friday, March 26, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. Next to Autumn is her father, Eric Fischer. In the back row is mother, Judith Fischer, and sister, Brook Fischer. (Photo provided)