Sports

Peninsula Oilers pitcher Austin Merrill checks the sign from his catcher June 8, 2018, against the Anchorage Bucs at Coral Seymour Memorial Ballpark in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Oilers pitcher Merrill battles adversity with blind eye

Austin Merrill seems like a natural on the mound. As a high school senior, Merrill led the pitching staff on the La Costa Canyon varsity… Continue reading

Peninsula Oilers pitcher Austin Merrill checks the sign from his catcher June 8, 2018, against the Anchorage Bucs at Coral Seymour Memorial Ballpark in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Seward’s Dan Marshall, retiring as cross-country and track coach focusing on distance events, poses with his last three seniors — Emma Moore, Ruby Lindquist and Zen Petrosius — at the state track and field meet at Palmer High School on May 25, 2018. (Photo provided by Jennifer Swander)

Seward cross-country coach Marshall steps down after 23 years

Editor’s note: Dan Marshall was interviewed via email and phone for this story. Quotes from the email lead off each section. Other quotes are from… Continue reading

Seward’s Dan Marshall, retiring as cross-country and track coach focusing on distance events, poses with his last three seniors — Emma Moore, Ruby Lindquist and Zen Petrosius — at the state track and field meet at Palmer High School on May 25, 2018. (Photo provided by Jennifer Swander)

Nelson, Sweppy win Run Into Summer race

Zach Nelson and Maria Sweppy were the winners Tuesday at the Run Into Summer 5K Series in Old Town Kenai. The series is put on… Continue reading

  • Jun 14, 2018
  • By Staff Report

Ostrander named Mountain West Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Student-Athlete of Year

Allie Ostrander, a 2015 graduate of Kenai Central High School, has been named the 2018 Mountain West Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Student-Athlete of the… Continue reading

  • Jun 14, 2018
  • By Staff Report

Oilers edge Miners again to lead ABL

Michael Yourg brought in the winning run on a broken-bat single Wednesday night to lead the Peninsula Oilers to a 3-2 win over the Mat-Su… Continue reading

  • Jun 14, 2018
  • By Staff Report
Kenai Twins shortstop Austin Asp attempts to relay a double play ball to first base while Chugiak’s D.J. Davis slides into second Wednesday afternoon at Coral Seymour Memorial Ballpark. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Twins battle back to sweep Mustangs

Five scoreless innings of crisp, defensive legion baseball eventually came to a head Wednesday afternoon at Coral Seymour Memorial Ballpark, and the drama didn’t disappoint.… Continue reading

Kenai Twins shortstop Austin Asp attempts to relay a double play ball to first base while Chugiak’s D.J. Davis slides into second Wednesday afternoon at Coral Seymour Memorial Ballpark. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Oilers take tight win over defending champ Miners

A hot start to the season by the Peninsula Oilers has so far proven not to be a fluke, as a tense 2-0 win over… Continue reading

  • Jun 13, 2018
  • By Staff Report

Ninilchik’s Vanderford gets spot in Tuesday Night Contender Series

Austin Vanderford, a 2008 graduate of Ninilchik School, made a step forward in his quest to fight in the UFC by landing with Dana White’s… Continue reading

Oilers starter Christian Winston delivers home against the Anchorage Bucs on Monday, June 11, 2018, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Oilers’ rally against Bucs comes up short

A ninth-inning rally for the Peninsula Oilers came up short in a 4-3 loss to the Anchorage Bucs on Monday in Alaska Baseball League play… Continue reading

Oilers starter Christian Winston delivers home against the Anchorage Bucs on Monday, June 11, 2018, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Andrew Kircher of Kenai rounds a corner at Tsalteshi Trails during the mountain bike portion of the duathlon Sunday, June 10, 2018, at Tri-The-Kenai. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Tri-The-Kenai goes to all-trails format

Road construction on the central Kenai Peninsula is a hassle to more than drivers. After taking last year off due to road construction that didn’t… Continue reading

Andrew Kircher of Kenai rounds a corner at Tsalteshi Trails during the mountain bike portion of the duathlon Sunday, June 10, 2018, at Tri-The-Kenai. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna’s Darrow proposes to girlfriend, scores winning run for Oilers

Leave it to real life to create ostentatious moments that fiction would not touch. And have a day, Jake Darrow. Darrow grew up on the… Continue reading

Kenai’s Paul Steffenson beats Palmer’s Zach Satterly to the bag during a play at first base in a 10-7 loss to the Pioneers on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in Palmer. (Photo by Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman)

Twins split with Palmer, but take league contest

The visiting American Legion Twins split a doubleheader with Palmer on Sunday, winning the league contest 12-2 before dropping the nonleague game 10-7. The Twins… Continue reading

Kenai’s Paul Steffenson beats Palmer’s Zach Satterly to the bag during a play at first base in a 10-7 loss to the Pioneers on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in Palmer. (Photo by Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman)
Anchorage Bucs third baseman Dimitri Colacchio (left) fields a groundball while the Oilers’ Ryan Koch sprints to third Friday evening at Coral Seymour Memorial Ballpark in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Oilers lose Friday, win Saturday

As good as the Peninsula Oilers looked in Thursday’s Alaska Baseball League season opener, things weren’t as rosy in Game 2 of the season Friday… Continue reading

Anchorage Bucs third baseman Dimitri Colacchio (left) fields a groundball while the Oilers’ Ryan Koch sprints to third Friday evening at Coral Seymour Memorial Ballpark in Kenai. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

A roundup of prep head coaching changes on peninsula

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is not losing a lot of head coaches after this prep season, but the district is losing a lot… Continue reading

Anderson leaves behind 27 years of coaching consistency

When he arrived at Nikiski High School in the fall of 1991, Scott Anderson was immediately given a challenge by entering into a fledgling football… Continue reading

Jodi Hanson sets a pace in the women’s 10-miler Saturday morning at the Run for the River 5K/10-mile races near Soldotna Creek Park. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Eskelin, Griffin, Walter, Hardie collect Run for River wins

One runner got to win his favorite race of the year, while another was enjoying a weekend girls trip to the peninsula. One was racing… Continue reading

Jodi Hanson sets a pace in the women’s 10-miler Saturday morning at the Run for the River 5K/10-mile races near Soldotna Creek Park. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Boise State redshirt sophomore Allie Ostrander clears a hurdle en route to defending her 3,000-meter steeplechase title at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Saturday, May 9, 2018. (Photo provided by Boise State Athletics)

Ostrander defends national title in 3,000-meter steeplechase

Allie Ostrander, a 2015 graduate of Kenai Central High School, defended her 3,000-meter steeplechase title at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday… Continue reading

Boise State redshirt sophomore Allie Ostrander clears a hurdle en route to defending her 3,000-meter steeplechase title at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Saturday, May 9, 2018. (Photo provided by Boise State Athletics)

Twins topple Eagle River

The visiting American Legion Twins notched an 11-7 victory over Eagle River on Saturday in league play. The Twins move to 2-0 in the league… Continue reading

This figure shows annual departures from mean annual temperature in Alaska in degrees Fahrenheit from 1949 to 2016. The figures come from the Alaska Climate Science Center.

Soil: A complex ecosystem under your feet

Soil has a unique place in the history of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Farming practices coupled with drought in the 1930s caused the Dust… Continue reading

  • Jun 7, 2018
  • By Dawn Robin Magness
This figure shows annual departures from mean annual temperature in Alaska in degrees Fahrenheit from 1949 to 2016. The figures come from the Alaska Climate Science Center.
Twins left-fielder Trapper Thompson dives to cover up a line drive hit by a Bartlett batter Thursday afternoon at the Kenai Little League fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Twins split season-opening doubleheader with Bartlett

The Post 20 Legion Twins opened their 2018 season with a spark Thursday afternoon at the Kenai Little League fields, splitting a doubleheader with the… Continue reading

Twins left-fielder Trapper Thompson dives to cover up a line drive hit by a Bartlett batter Thursday afternoon at the Kenai Little League fields. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)