Sports

Juneau catcher Isaac Kirsch looks to catch a pop-up foul against Dimond West in the deciding fifth game of the Alaska Little League Majors Baseball State Tournament in Anchorage. (Screenshot from Gastineau Channel Little League video of game)

Juneau all-stars defeated 14-7 in state Little League championship game

Anchorage’s Dimond West breaks away from earlier close games to win best-of-five series

Juneau catcher Isaac Kirsch looks to catch a pop-up foul against Dimond West in the deciding fifth game of the Alaska Little League Majors Baseball State Tournament in Anchorage. (Screenshot from Gastineau Channel Little League video of game)
Golfers test their skills at the “chip shot challenge” during the Annual Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic on Saturday at the Mendenhall Golf Course. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

It’s not easy being on the green

88 participants brave heat, go clubbing on “fast” turf during annual Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic.

Golfers test their skills at the “chip shot challenge” during the Annual Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic on Saturday at the Mendenhall Golf Course. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau’s Riley Morehouse pitches to a Washington state player in the bottom half of the fourth inning in an elimination game Monday during the Little League World Series Northwest Region majors softball tournament in San Bernardino, California. Juneau’s team, representing Alaska after winning the statewide tournament, rallied to a 6-3 lead in the fourth inning after falling behind early, but Washington would take the lead at the end of the inning and go on to win 13-6. (Screenshot from recap video by littleleague.org)

Juneau girls eliminated from Little League World Series regional softball tournament

After dominating statewide tournament, team goes 0-2 at Northwest Region in California

Juneau’s Riley Morehouse pitches to a Washington state player in the bottom half of the fourth inning in an elimination game Monday during the Little League World Series Northwest Region majors softball tournament in San Bernardino, California. Juneau’s team, representing Alaska after winning the statewide tournament, rallied to a 6-3 lead in the fourth inning after falling behind early, but Washington would take the lead at the end of the inning and go on to win 13-6. (Screenshot from recap video by littleleague.org)
Basketball players face off at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at for a basketball game in December 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Juneau city, school district to remain neutral on proposed statewide transgender sports ban

Local leaders share personal stances ahead of decision slated for late July.

Basketball players face off at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at for a basketball game in December 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Nicole Adair, a 2001 graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaat.at Kalé, pitches for the Antiques as teammate Tania Hansen, a 1998 graduate, plays first base and Angi Thibodeau, a 1999 graduate, awaits an opportunity to advance as a member of the Classics during the fourth annual JDHS Softball Alumni Game on Sunday at Melvin Park. (Photo courtesy of JDHS softball)

Annual JDHS alumni softball game results in classy matchup

Closest-ever finish goes down to the wire as participation opened to public for first time.

Nicole Adair, a 2001 graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaat.at Kalé, pitches for the Antiques as teammate Tania Hansen, a 1998 graduate, plays first base and Angi Thibodeau, a 1999 graduate, awaits an opportunity to advance as a member of the Classics during the fourth annual JDHS Softball Alumni Game on Sunday at Melvin Park. (Photo courtesy of JDHS softball)
Players line up during the final quarter of Juneau Alumni Football game on Friday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Friday night lights: Alumni game provides memories and funds for Huskies football

The night raised approximately $13,000 to go toward the upcoming season.

Players line up during the final quarter of Juneau Alumni Football game on Friday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Athlete Tammy Birch carries the torch with help from Branden Horst during the Alaska Law Enforcement Torch Run at Twin Lakes Park Saturday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Annual fundraiser run torches last year’s total

Around $15,000 was raised to go toward athletes on the Special Olympics Alaska Juneau team.

Athlete Tammy Birch carries the torch with help from Branden Horst during the Alaska Law Enforcement Torch Run at Twin Lakes Park Saturday morning. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Junior guard Sean Oliver pushes through a crowd of players for a layup during the third period during Thursday night’s game against South Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears teams secure victories at 2nd night of tournament

JDHS girls and boys keep the momentum at Princess Cruises Capital City Classic

Junior guard Sean Oliver pushes through a crowd of players for a layup during the third period during Thursday night’s game against South Anchorage High School during the first night of the Princess Cruises Capital City Classic. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Mile runners takeoff from the starting line during the ninth annual Turkey Trot on Thursday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

And they’re off: Turkey Trot draws hundreds

Fun in the briefly shining sun.

Mile runners takeoff from the starting line during the ninth annual Turkey Trot on Thursday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Juneau senior Sam Sika is seen in this photo joining the huddle for coach Sjoroos’ pep talk during practice. Sika and the rest of Huskies defense came up big on Saturday’s season opener against the Dimond Lynx in Anchorage. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Juneau finds the weak Lynx in Anchorage

Huskies defeat Dimond in 37-0 shut out. Next up is Bartlett at home.

Juneau senior Sam Sika is seen in this photo joining the huddle for coach Sjoroos’ pep talk during practice. Sika and the rest of Huskies defense came up big on Saturday’s season opener against the Dimond Lynx in Anchorage. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Runners pound up Fish Creek Road towards the ski area during the Eaglecrest Road and Ridge Race on July 2, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Up with the sun: runners tackle Eaglecrest

Onward and upward, up the rising road.

Runners pound up Fish Creek Road towards the ski area during the Eaglecrest Road and Ridge Race on July 2, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé basketball teams will face Thunder Mountain High School one last time in regular season play this weekend, as the school also hosts Senior Night and a suicide prevention event. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

JDHS prepares to end regular basketball season with eventful weekend

Senior Night and suicide prevention

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé basketball teams will face Thunder Mountain High School one last time in regular season play this weekend, as the school also hosts Senior Night and a suicide prevention event. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Kyle Worl competes in the two-foot high kick at the 2020 Traditional Games. The games this year are being held at Thunder Mountain High School on April 2-3 2022 (Courtesy Photo / Sealaska Heritage Institute)

Kicking for the stars: Registration opens for 2022 Traditional Games

The games will be held here at TMHS in April.

Kyle Worl competes in the two-foot high kick at the 2020 Traditional Games. The games this year are being held at Thunder Mountain High School on April 2-3 2022 (Courtesy Photo / Sealaska Heritage Institute)
James Connally (10), a senior, and Payton Grant, a junior, embrace following a touchdown. Connally caught and threw for a touchdown in the Huskies’ 30-17 loss to Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School. (Courtesy Photo / Larry Schrader)

Juneau’s title chase comes to an end against East Anchorage

The Juneau Huskies finished their 2021 season as runner-ups for the state’s Division I title.

James Connally (10), a senior, and Payton Grant, a junior, embrace following a touchdown. Connally caught and threw for a touchdown in the Huskies’ 30-17 loss to Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School. (Courtesy Photo / Larry Schrader)
A sign points the way to the weigh station at the Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor during last year's Golden North Salmon Derby on Aug. 16, 2020. This year is the derby's 75th year and organizers have added additional prizes in celebration of the event. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Salmon derby celebrates 75 years with new ways to win

Derby days are here again.

A sign points the way to the weigh station at the Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor during last year's Golden North Salmon Derby on Aug. 16, 2020. This year is the derby's 75th year and organizers have added additional prizes in celebration of the event. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Juneau resident Katie Kowalchuk let her mask express her excitement before competing in the Aukeman Triathlon on Saturday, August 7. Organizers adopted COVID mitigations, including pre-race masking and distancing, as part of the event. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

Get ready, get set, go: Athletes compete in Aukeman Triathlon

“Race day, yay!”

Juneau resident Katie Kowalchuk let her mask express her excitement before competing in the Aukeman Triathlon on Saturday, August 7. Organizers adopted COVID mitigations, including pre-race masking and distancing, as part of the event. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
A meteorite — or more likely pieces of it — may have come to rest in the frozen swamps of middle Alaska on October 15, 2020. (Courtesy Image / Ned Rozell)

‘It looked like fireworks, until it split into four dots’: Fireball in the sky over Alaska

Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire.

A meteorite — or more likely pieces of it — may have come to rest in the frozen swamps of middle Alaska on October 15, 2020. (Courtesy Image / Ned Rozell)
Photo chute: Paragliders add color to gray evening

Photo chute: Paragliders add color to gray evening

The bright yellow and orange in the near-dusk sky weren’t from a brilliant Juneau sunset.

Photo chute: Paragliders add color to gray evening
Israeli Olympic racewalker Shaul Ladany holds his 1972’s Olympic race shoes for a portrait in Omer, Israel, Sunday, July 12, 2020. In an instant, the world record holder in the 50-mile walk was thrust into one of sports’ greatest tragedies and a seminal moment in modern history _ the kidnapping and massacre of his fellow Israeli team members at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The killing shocked the world, gave the Palestinian cause an audience and ushered in a new era of global terrorism. Ladany, a Holocaust survivor, the lessons still linger. He says it taught him to “never be afraid” but become “more careful.”(AP Photo / Ariel Schalit)

Israeli racewalker recalls surviving 1972 Munich massacre

In an instant, he was thrust into one of sports’ greatest tragedies.

Israeli Olympic racewalker Shaul Ladany holds his 1972’s Olympic race shoes for a portrait in Omer, Israel, Sunday, July 12, 2020. In an instant, the world record holder in the 50-mile walk was thrust into one of sports’ greatest tragedies and a seminal moment in modern history _ the kidnapping and massacre of his fellow Israeli team members at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The killing shocked the world, gave the Palestinian cause an audience and ushered in a new era of global terrorism. Ladany, a Holocaust survivor, the lessons still linger. He says it taught him to “never be afraid” but become “more careful.”(AP Photo / Ariel Schalit)
Meki Toutaiolepo led all scorers in Thunder Mountain High Schools victory Friday night at Juneau-Douglas High Schooll: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Courtesy Photo | Heather Holt)

TMHS holds off JDHS for back-to-back wins

Thunder Mountain pays a visit to Juneau-Douglas, winning Friday and Satuday.

Meki Toutaiolepo led all scorers in Thunder Mountain High Schools victory Friday night at Juneau-Douglas High Schooll: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Courtesy Photo | Heather Holt)