Sports

The Homer hockey team celebrates the Division II state championship Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, at the Curtis Mendard Sports Complex in Wasilla, Alaska. (Photo by Tim Rockey/Frontiersman)

Homer hockey defends Division II state title

For veteran members of the Homer High School hockey team, Saturday’s ASAA First National Cup Hockey State Championship game might have caused a case of… Continue reading

The Homer hockey team celebrates the Division II state championship Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, at the Curtis Mendard Sports Complex in Wasilla, Alaska. (Photo by Tim Rockey/Frontiersman)

Hoops roundup: Homer, Seward notch sweeps

The host Homer boys basketball team defeated Kenai Central 57-47 on Saturday to improve to 9-2. Homer also improves to 2-1 against the Kardinals. Kenai… Continue reading

Howard Mamou shovels snow at the Glennwood in Hutto, Texas, Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. The worst U.S. power outages were in Texas, affecting more than 2 million homes and businesses. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP) Howard Mamou shovels snow at the Glennwood in Hutto, Texas, Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. The worst U.S. power outages were in Texas, affecting more than 2 million homes and businesses. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

Tangled Up in Blue: A lot of snow

There’s a lot of snow out there. After asking somebody about their weekend, he proceeded to tell me about chain-sawing blocks of snow on his… Continue reading

Howard Mamou shovels snow at the Glennwood in Hutto, Texas, Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. The worst U.S. power outages were in Texas, affecting more than 2 million homes and businesses. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP) Howard Mamou shovels snow at the Glennwood in Hutto, Texas, Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021. The worst U.S. power outages were in Texas, affecting more than 2 million homes and businesses. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
A great gray owl perches in an aspen tree on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by Colin Canterbury/USFWS)

Refuge notebook: Winter is the season for finding great gray owls

Winter can be a fantastic time to observe owls. Owls can be very secretive, sitting quietly in trees with color patterns that provide effective camouflage.… Continue reading

  • Feb 19, 2021
  • By DAWN ROBIN MAGNESS Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
A great gray owl perches in an aspen tree on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by Colin Canterbury/USFWS)
Seward's Sam Koster looks for a way around Kenai Central's Lucas Tunseth and Keagen Medina on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Hoops roundup: Seward, Homer boys notch tight wins

Staff report The visiting Seward boys basketball team defeated Kenai Central 67-58 in overtime on Thursday. The Seahawks made off with their fifth straight victory… Continue reading

Seward's Sam Koster looks for a way around Kenai Central's Lucas Tunseth and Keagen Medina on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
tease

SoHi, Homer move to state hockey semis

The Soldotna hockey team won a back-and-forth game 6-5 in overtime Thursday in the first round of the Division II state hockey tournament at the… Continue reading

tease
Kenai River Brown Bears forward Theo Thrun brings the puck up the ice on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, against the Minnesota Magicians at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears continue to try and find way back to Alaska

Kenai River drops 6th straight game

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Theo Thrun brings the puck up the ice on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, against the Minnesota Magicians at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
TEASE

SoHi JV girls, Ninilchik boys notch wins

The host Soldotna C girls basketball team defeated Ninilchik 39-16 on Wednesday. The Wolverines fell to 2-3 with the loss. The Stars led 16-9 at… Continue reading

TEASE
Soldotna's Dylan Walton attacks Kenai's Central's Hunter Erwin and Daniel Shelden on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai, SoHi, Homer set for state hockey

For the first time since the state cross-country meet on Oct. 10, Kenai Peninsula athletes will get a chance to compete in state competition when… Continue reading

Soldotna's Dylan Walton attacks Kenai's Central's Hunter Erwin and Daniel Shelden on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski's Rylee Ellis and Avery White and Kenai Central's Erin Koziczkowski and Amber Nash battle for the rebound Thursday, Feb. 16, 2021, at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Hoops roundup: Nikiski girls, Kenai boys notch wins

Seward boys, SoHi girls also taste victory

Nikiski's Rylee Ellis and Avery White and Kenai Central's Erin Koziczkowski and Amber Nash battle for the rebound Thursday, Feb. 16, 2021, at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River Brown Bears forward Brandon Lajoie pulls up against the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears fall to Magicians again

The Kenai Rivers Brown Bears took a fifth straight loss, falling to the host Minnesota Magicians 5-3 on Sunday in North American Hockey League play.… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Brandon Lajoie pulls up against the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, 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)

Magicians take 2 from Bears

The host Minnesota Magicians defeated the Kenai River Brown Bears 2-1 on Friday and 5-1 on Saturday in North American Hockey League play. Minnesota is… 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)
Nikiski's Brady Bostic faces pressure from Soldotna's Daniel McRorie on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Hoops roundup: Soldotna sweeps Nikiski

The host Soldotna boys basketball team used a stifling half-court trap to stop Nikiski 45-30 on Saturday. The Stars moved to 2-7 by avenging a… Continue reading

Nikiski's Brady Bostic faces pressure from Soldotna's Daniel McRorie on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Tyler Hippchen competes at the Kenai Klassic on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, at the Kenai Nordic Trails in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai’s Hippchen, Boonstra lead after 1st day of boroughs

Kenai Central’s Tyler Hippchen and Jayna Boonstra got off to a great start Saturday at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Meet outside of Homer at Lookout… Continue reading

Tyler Hippchen competes at the Kenai Klassic on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, at the Kenai Nordic Trails in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna's Dylan Walton keeps the puck away from Kenai Central's Riley Graves in front of SoHi goalie Ayden See on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Puck parity continues

Homer beats SoHi; Stars top Kards on final weekend

Soldotna's Dylan Walton keeps the puck away from Kenai Central's Riley Graves in front of SoHi goalie Ayden See on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
A day on Kachemak Bay (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Out of the Office: Water taxi talking

Reporters spend a lot of time talking to people: people they don’t know, people they do know, people who really don’t want to talk to… Continue reading

A day on Kachemak Bay (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central's Emma Back brings the ball up the floor against Soldotna's Autumn Fischer on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Hoops roundup: Stars girls pull away from Kenai late to stay unbeaten

The Kenai Central girls basketball team gave Soldotna its stiffest test of the season Thursday. The Stars passed that test. The Stars overcame a one-point… Continue reading

Kenai Central's Emma Back brings the ball up the floor against Soldotna's Autumn Fischer on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Travis Temple. (Photo by Travis Temple)

No peninsula riders will start Iron Dog

Soldotna’s Temple wants to make area a player in race again

Travis Temple. (Photo by Travis Temple)
Salt marshes are important food sources for brown bears. As we see an earlier start to the growing season or increased plant growth, bears will likely benefit from them even more. (Photo by Michael Hannam/NPS)

Refuge Notebook: Could bears benefit from changing coastal marshes?

Flying over the Cook Inlet coast, you can look down and see expansive salt marshes where mountain rivers meet the sea in lush green meadows.… Continue reading

Salt marshes are important food sources for brown bears. As we see an earlier start to the growing season or increased plant growth, bears will likely benefit from them even more. (Photo by Michael Hannam/NPS)
Owen Rolph. (Photo provided by Owen Rolph)

Kenai swimmer Rolph commits to Old Dominion

By JEFF HELMINIAK Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central senior Owen Rolph has become the fourth Kenai Peninsula swimmer in the past year to commit to a… Continue reading

Owen Rolph. (Photo provided by Owen Rolph)