Sports

The mango. The fruit of champions and of those that struggle with fruit. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Pure Sole: The mango

I knew I had to jump on the bandwagon right from the start. Their attraction was insidious. Surrounded by admirers who touched them, who elbowed… Continue reading

The mango. The fruit of champions and of those that struggle with fruit. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Glacier Swim Club athletes Valerie Peimann, 16, Emma Fellman 18, and Lilly Francis, 15, at the 2024 Commonwealth Cup in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo courtesy of Glacier Swim Club)

Glacier Swim Club top athletes compete in Virginia

Fellman, Peimann and Francis bring small squad — but big results

Glacier Swim Club athletes Valerie Peimann, 16, Emma Fellman 18, and Lilly Francis, 15, at the 2024 Commonwealth Cup in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo courtesy of Glacier Swim Club)
A male hooded merganser shows off his flashy plumage. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Critter watching in fall

I like living in a place where I can encounter wild critters in so many places and so often. But some days are always luckier… Continue reading

A male hooded merganser shows off his flashy plumage. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Emilio Holbrook battles for a puck with North Pole junior Hunter Simons (37) during the Crimson Bears’ 5-2 loss to the Patriots on Saturday at the Treadwell Ice Arena. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Unlucky bounces ice Crimson Bears in second game against North Pole

JDHS falls 5-2 in physical, penalty-laden loss to the visiting Patriots.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Emilio Holbrook battles for a puck with North Pole junior Hunter Simons (37) during the Crimson Bears’ 5-2 loss to the Patriots on Saturday at the Treadwell Ice Arena. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Evelyn Richards (8), sophomore Leila Cooper (7), senior Tatum Billings (3) and junior Cambry Lockhart (4) await a serve against Wasilla in a game earlier this season at the George Houston Gymnasium. The Crimson Bears season ended with two losses in the state tournament this weekend. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)

Crimson Bears fall under Stars at state volleyball tournament

JDHS loses three straight sets to Soldotna in elimination match.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Evelyn Richards (8), sophomore Leila Cooper (7), senior Tatum Billings (3) and junior Cambry Lockhart (4) await a serve against Wasilla in a game earlier this season at the George Houston Gymnasium. The Crimson Bears season ended with two losses in the state tournament this weekend. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
North Pole senior Kagen Kramer (9) and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Elias Schane (18) battle for puck position during the Patriots 4-2 win over the Crimson Bears on Friday at the Treadwell Ice Arena. The two teams play again Saturday at 3 p.m. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Home ice ‘unPatriotic’ for JDHS as North Pole skates to win

Crimson Bears look for a rematch win on Saturday against the Patriots

North Pole senior Kagen Kramer (9) and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Elias Schane (18) battle for puck position during the Patriots 4-2 win over the Crimson Bears on Friday at the Treadwell Ice Arena. The two teams play again Saturday at 3 p.m. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau Huskies senior Jayden Johnson (4) finds a hole to run through against the Colony Knights in Palmer this season. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)

Pure Sole: You can’t impress me, well, too much

Sometimes when awards come out, for any sport, they are based on athletic achievement and records and championships and photos on cereal boxes… Imagine my… Continue reading

Juneau Huskies senior Jayden Johnson (4) finds a hole to run through against the Colony Knights in Palmer this season. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau senior Jayden Johnson (4) brushes off a tackle by West Anchorage junior Talon Copeland (12) during a state playoff game at West Anchorage. Johnson was selected the All-State utility player of the year and a first-team all-state receiver. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)

JDHS’ Jayden Johnson voted Utility Player of the Year by D1 football competitors

Crimson Bears senior also named First Team All-State receiver while playing multiple other positions.

Juneau senior Jayden Johnson (4) brushes off a tackle by West Anchorage junior Talon Copeland (12) during a state playoff game at West Anchorage. Johnson was selected the All-State utility player of the year and a first-team all-state receiver. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Lavinia Ma’ake serves in a game against Wasilla earlier this season. Ma’ake was chosen player of the game on Thursday in the Crimson Bears opening loss to Service in the 2024 ASAA Volleyball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)

Crimson Bears volleyball team drops first match at state tournament

JDHS will play an elimination match at 11:45 a.m. Friday against Soldotna.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Lavinia Ma’ake serves in a game against Wasilla earlier this season. Ma’ake was chosen player of the game on Thursday in the Crimson Bears opening loss to Service in the 2024 ASAA Volleyball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Hunter Lingle, junior Nolan Cruz and sophomore Stahly Sheehan work the ice Wednesday at Treadwell Arena before a JDHS practice. The Crimson Bears varsity hosts the North Pole Patriots Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears welcome Patriots to first home rink battle of the season

Treadwell Ice Arena will feature rematch of last year’s final JDHS game at state tournament

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Hunter Lingle, junior Nolan Cruz and sophomore Stahly Sheehan work the ice Wednesday at Treadwell Arena before a JDHS practice. The Crimson Bears varsity hosts the North Pole Patriots Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau Douglas’s Colton Cummins pins Wrangell’s Copper Powers during the Bill Weiss Wrestling Tournament at the Clarke Cochrane Gymnasium at Ketchikan High School on Friday. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)

JDHS grapplers work the mats at Ketchikan

Crimson Bears in the final mix for team title in Bill Weiss Invitational

Juneau Douglas’s Colton Cummins pins Wrangell’s Copper Powers during the Bill Weiss Wrestling Tournament at the Clarke Cochrane Gymnasium at Ketchikan High School on Friday. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Amy Liddle leads Kenai junior Abigail Price and Palmer junior Kylie Benner en route to winning the girls 200 freestyle title during the ASAA Swim & Dive State Championships on Saturday at Anchorage’s Bartlett High School pool. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Liddle is big at Alaska high school state swim and dive championships

JDHS sophomore earns 200 free title, girls relay wins, Plang leads boys

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Amy Liddle leads Kenai junior Abigail Price and Palmer junior Kylie Benner en route to winning the girls 200 freestyle title during the ASAA Swim & Dive State Championships on Saturday at Anchorage’s Bartlett High School pool. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
A Boquila trifoliolata in Parque Nacional Puyehue, Chile. (Tony Rebelo / CC BY-SA 4.0)

On the Trails: Mimicry in animals and plants

Mimicry in animals is a common form of protection from predators. For instance, two distasteful or toxic butterflies may mimic each other for mutual defense,… Continue reading

A Boquila trifoliolata in Parque Nacional Puyehue, Chile. (Tony Rebelo / CC BY-SA 4.0)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team celebrates scoring the winning point in Saturday’s game against Ketchikan High School at JDHS to win the Region V title and advance to the state tournament next week. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears going to state tournament after sweeping Ketchikan in two games for Region V title

JDHS roars to two-set lead, regains footing after Kings show some spark to earn 3-1 win Saturday.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team celebrates scoring the winning point in Saturday’s game against Ketchikan High School at JDHS to win the Region V title and advance to the state tournament next week. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Neela Thomas (12) tips a shot against Ketchikan as senior teammate Tatum Billings and Kayhi junior Genevieve Halbert (10) and sophomores Mariah Pechay-Austin (22) and Avah Bittle (11) react during the Crimson Bears 20-25, 25-9, 25-11, 25-18 match win Friday during the Region V Volleyball Championships at Juneau’s George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears win first round of Region V volleyball series against Kayhi

Region V Championship will be decided Saturday in the George Houston Gymnasium.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Neela Thomas (12) tips a shot against Ketchikan as senior teammate Tatum Billings and Kayhi junior Genevieve Halbert (10) and sophomores Mariah Pechay-Austin (22) and Avah Bittle (11) react during the Crimson Bears 20-25, 25-9, 25-11, 25-18 match win Friday during the Region V Volleyball Championships at Juneau’s George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Parker Boman and sophomore Kennedy Miller swim the 100 breaststroke final at the Region V Championships last weekend in the Petersburg Aquatic Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears about to plunge into state swim championships

Girls look to defend team title behind top qualifying times, boys look to earn top-five team placing.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Parker Boman and sophomore Kennedy Miller swim the 100 breaststroke final at the Region V Championships last weekend in the Petersburg Aquatic Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Natural hydrogen gas may be trapped under the surface of Alaska in many areas, such as here in the Brooks Range. (Photo by Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: Geologic hydrogen may be an answer

The internal combustion engine is less than 100 years old. Same for the technologies we have developed to pull oil and gas from the ground.… Continue reading

Natural hydrogen gas may be trapped under the surface of Alaska in many areas, such as here in the Brooks Range. (Photo by Ned Rozell)
The Dalton Highway, built in 1974 to construct the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, allows the public to access the Brooks Range and North Slope like the author did in 2022. (Photo by Jeff Lund)

I Went to the Woods: The theater is over, let the work begin

The election is over. It’s time to catch our collective breath and re-enter reality. The far right and the far left are mirrors of each… Continue reading

The Dalton Highway, built in 1974 to construct the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, allows the public to access the Brooks Range and North Slope like the author did in 2022. (Photo by Jeff Lund)
A pair of Petersburg wiener dogs. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Pure Sole: ‘Bread and Butter’

So, evidently, I now have a nickname in my hometown of Petersburg. “Bread and Butter.” I will let you stew on that while I finish… Continue reading

A pair of Petersburg wiener dogs. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears volleyball team pose for a photo in Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow. From left are senior Evelyn Richards, junior Lavinia Ma’ake, senior Nina Jeter, assistant coach Abby Dean, sophomore Amelia Elfers, juniors Cambry Lockhart, Braith Dihle, Neela Thomas, sophomore June Troxel, junior Natalia Harris, sophomore Leila Cooper, assistant coach Mark Ibias and sophomore Braith Dihle. (Courtesy photo)

Crimson Bears face northern test on Utqiagvik courts

JDHS volleyball team learned a lot from Barrow community.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears volleyball team pose for a photo in Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow. From left are senior Evelyn Richards, junior Lavinia Ma’ake, senior Nina Jeter, assistant coach Abby Dean, sophomore Amelia Elfers, juniors Cambry Lockhart, Braith Dihle, Neela Thomas, sophomore June Troxel, junior Natalia Harris, sophomore Leila Cooper, assistant coach Mark Ibias and sophomore Braith Dihle. (Courtesy photo)