Sports

Kenai Central head coach Dan Verkuilen and assistant Brad Nyquist celebrate winning the Division II girls state soccer title Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska. (Photo provided)

It’s personal

Kenai Central’s Verkuilen, Nyquist reflect on coaching careers

 

Molly Tuter, far right, is pictured as Coach Dan Gensel, far left, prepares to get his ear pierced to celebrate Soldotna High School’s first team-sport state championship on Friday, Feb. 12, 1993 in Soldotna. Gensel, who led the Soldotna High School girls basketball team to victory, had promised his team earlier in the season that he would get his ear pierced if they won the state title. (Rusty Swan/Peninsula Clarion)

Molly Tuter, Alaska basketball trailblazer from Soldotna, dies at 49

The legendary high school and college basketball player from Soldotna she was the first Alaskan to play in the WNBA

 

From left: Sara, Kristen and Jon Faulkner pose with Kristen's two gold medals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France. (Photo provided by Jon Faulkner)

From Homer dreams to Olympic gold

Kristen Faulkner shares experiences at Paris Games, Tour de France

 

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion
Soldotna head coach Galen Brantley Jr. leads his team back on the field after halftime Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in the Division II championship game at Service High School in Anchorage, Alaska.

Brantley Jr. can set state wins record Friday

The pieces of the puzzle in place for Soldotna football include community, year-round strength training, detailed coaching, and solid assistant coaches and administration

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion
Soldotna head coach Galen Brantley Jr. leads his team back on the field after halftime Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in the Division II championship game at Service High School in Anchorage, Alaska.
Kristen Faulkner is pictured in her official Olympic portrait photo. (Photo by Evan Kay with Climb High Productions, provided by Kristen Faulkner)
Kristen Faulkner is pictured in her official Olympic portrait photo. (Photo by Evan Kay with Climb High Productions, provided by Kristen Faulkner)
Kristen Faulkner is pictured in her official Olympic portrait photo. (Photo by Evan Kay with Climb High Productions, provided by Kristen Faulkner)
Kristen Faulkner is pictured in her official Olympic portrait photo. (Photo by Evan Kay with Climb High Productions, provided by Kristen Faulkner)
Nick Varney

Reeling ‘Em In: Hey fishers, keep up with regulations

What is up with brain stems who seem to be incapable of comprehending simple fishing regulations?

Nick Varney
Photo provided by Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula
The Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula team stands together for a photo during the Summer State Games in Anchorage.

Area athletes claim 45 medals at Special Olympics Alaska Summer Games

The Central Peninsula team fielded 17 local athletes in the competition

Photo provided by Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula
The Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula team stands together for a photo during the Summer State Games in Anchorage.
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Central Kenai Peninsula athletes who will be competing in the Special Olympics Alaska 2024 Summer State Games stand for a photo at Soldotna Creek Park on Tuesday.

Local athletes travel to Anchorage to compete in Special Olympics Summer Games

The team will participate in swimming and basketball skills competitions

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Central Kenai Peninsula athletes who will be competing in the Special Olympics Alaska 2024 Summer State Games stand for a photo at Soldotna Creek Park on Tuesday.
Athletes from Nikiski Middle/High School’s track and field team visit with elementary students at Nikiski North Star Elementary School. (Photo provided)

‘Building leaders’: Nikiski track and field team supports community

The team has restarted the Nikiski Talent Show, painted stars on the sidewalks at Nikiski North Star Elementary and begun to coach middle and elementary schoolers

Athletes from Nikiski Middle/High School’s track and field team visit with elementary students at Nikiski North Star Elementary School. (Photo provided)
Head coach Taylor Shaw (center) talks to the Kenai River Brown Bears during a timeout at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Season review: Brown Bears hope to build on solid finish to season

It’s not easy to finish a season in last place in a division, yet have plenty of reasons for optimism for the next season

Head coach Taylor Shaw (center) talks to the Kenai River Brown Bears during a timeout at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Greg Fallon, Kenai, receives his gold medal for his team’s 4x400m relay 2005 or later mix effort from Mat-Su Borough Mayor Edna DeVries. (J. David McChesney/Frontiersman)

Peninsula athletes compete, win at Arctic Winter Games

23 athletes from the Kenai Peninsula, representing Kenai, Soldotna, Nikiski, Sterling and Homer, brought home 31 Ulus

Greg Fallon, Kenai, receives his gold medal for his team’s 4x400m relay 2005 or later mix effort from Mat-Su Borough Mayor Edna DeVries. (J. David McChesney/Frontiersman)
Martin Flores skis into the finish to win the 40-kilometer Double Tour while carrying an Alaska flag during the Tour of Tsalteshi at Tsalteshi Trails near Soldotna, Alaska, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Skiers, bikers turn out for Seventh Annual Tour of Tsalteshi

Racers came from across the Kenai Peninsula and beyond and competed in a variety of lengths and modes of travel

Martin Flores skis into the finish to win the 40-kilometer Double Tour while carrying an Alaska flag during the Tour of Tsalteshi at Tsalteshi Trails near Soldotna, Alaska, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
hoops tease
hoops tease
Karl Schmidt readies to loose a dart at the Elks Lodge in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Peninsula dart community experiences resurgence

13th Annual Cabin Fever Reliever Dart Tournament was hosted at the Elks Lodge in Kenai last weekend

Karl Schmidt readies to loose a dart at the Elks Lodge in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River’s Roope Tuomioksa works to keep the puck from Anchorage’s Jackson Stimple moments before scoring a goal at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, Jan. 25, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Friday: Brown Bears fall to Wolverines

The Kenai River Brown Bears took their 10th consecutive loss Friday when they fell 2-1 to the Anchorage Wolverines in North American Hockey League play… Continue reading

Kenai River’s Roope Tuomioksa works to keep the puck from Anchorage’s Jackson Stimple moments before scoring a goal at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, Jan. 25, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central’s Avery Martin exhales into the frigid air Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

State hockey comes to Soldotna

There hasn’t been a state tournament on the peninsula since late 2011

Kenai Central’s Avery Martin exhales into the frigid air Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Bryce Butler pulls an athlete from Chickaloon up and over to win a round of the Inuit stick pull during the Kahtnuht’ana Hey Chi’ula Native Youth Olympics Invitational at Kenai Middle School in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Peninsula athletes compete in Native Youth Olympics invitational

The games are a series of events derived from traditional Alaska Native feats of athleticism

Bryce Butler pulls an athlete from Chickaloon up and over to win a round of the Inuit stick pull during the Kahtnuht’ana Hey Chi’ula Native Youth Olympics Invitational at Kenai Middle School in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Lower left: 2023 Kenai Central High School alum Gavin Langham (#18) and 2021 Soldotna High School alum Dylan Walton battle over the puck in the second period of the annual Kenai/Nikiski and SoHi/Skyview alumni hockey game at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai/Nikiski narrowly defeats Soldotna/Skyview in annual alumni hockey game

The visiting Kenai/Nikiski team eked ahead with roughly four minutes left in the third period

Lower left: 2023 Kenai Central High School alum Gavin Langham (#18) and 2021 Soldotna High School alum Dylan Walton battle over the puck in the second period of the annual Kenai/Nikiski and SoHi/Skyview alumni hockey game at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

State Board of Education bars trans girls from girls high school sports teams

Schools or school districts must create separate athletic categories for cisgender girls and other student athletes

A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Mose Hayes of the Peninsula Oilers delivers to the Anchorage Glacier Pilots on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

From Little League to the Oilers

Homer’s Hayes, Metz are on the same team again

Mose Hayes of the Peninsula Oilers delivers to the Anchorage Glacier Pilots on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)