Nolin Ainsworth

Juneau Post 25’s Chandler Lewis pitches against Wasilla Post 35 on Friday. Lewis faced nine batters in the sixth and seventh innings and didn’t give up a hit. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Strong hitting leads Juneau Post 25 past Wasilla

Donavin McCurley used his head to help Juneau Post 25 take the lead in the fifth inning against Wasilla Post 35 Friday night at Adair-Kennedy.… Continue reading

Juneau Post 25’s Chandler Lewis pitches against Wasilla Post 35 on Friday. Lewis faced nine batters in the sixth and seventh innings and didn’t give up a hit. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
Esteban Soto is shown participating in the USA Football Regional Development camp in Seattle, Washington, over the weekend of May 27-28. (Photo courtesy of Rose Sanchez)

Local youth football stud selected for elite camp

Esteban “Gaby” Soto’s youth football coaches have never taken issue with giving him the ball. With exceptional speed and vision, Soto zips through defenses for… Continue reading

Esteban Soto is shown participating in the USA Football Regional Development camp in Seattle, Washington, over the weekend of May 27-28. (Photo courtesy of Rose Sanchez)
An Alaska Airlines jet prepares to land at the Juneau International Airport as runners compete in the Wild for Conservation 5K, Saturday, June 10. The race raised money for the Southeast Alaska Land Trust, a non-profit conservation group based in Juneau. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Nevalainen wins Wild For Conservation 5K

A little over 70 individuals gave a thank you to the Southeast Alaska Land Trust on Saturday morning by running the Wild For Conservation 5K.… Continue reading

An Alaska Airlines jet prepares to land at the Juneau International Airport as runners compete in the Wild for Conservation 5K, Saturday, June 10. The race raised money for the Southeast Alaska Land Trust, a non-profit conservation group based in Juneau. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
Kate Debuse, 14, smiles as she takes a break in riding her horse Sweetie in the Fairweather Barn, Tuesday, June 7. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Juneau youth wins Tenneesee Walking Horse championship

One walks down a long, dark and dusty wooden boardwalk to reach Kate DeBuse’s horse stall. DeBuse’s horse, a 22-year-old paso fino named Sweetie, lives… Continue reading

Kate Debuse, 14, smiles as she takes a break in riding her horse Sweetie in the Fairweather Barn, Tuesday, June 7. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
Gabi Fenumiai, right, and Zeb Hoffman are shown at the Evergreen State College Recreational and Athletics Awards Banquet in Olympia, Washington after being named the ESC Athletes of the Year. (Photo courtesy of Gabi Fenumiai)

Fenumiai Evergreen State College Women’s Athlete of the Year

Gabi Fenumiai’s graduation from Evergreen State College is this Friday. Even so, it’ll be hard for her graduation week to top the week leading up… Continue reading

Gabi Fenumiai, right, and Zeb Hoffman are shown at the Evergreen State College Recreational and Athletics Awards Banquet in Olympia, Washington after being named the ESC Athletes of the Year. (Photo courtesy of Gabi Fenumiai)
American Legion Juneau Post 25 players listen to coach Joe Tompkins, Tuesday, June 6, at Adair-Kennedy Field after practice. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Legion baseball to bring on the state

Championships aren’t won in June. That’s been the recurring lesson American Legion’s Juneau Post 25 baseball team has learned over the last four seasons. Since… Continue reading

American Legion Juneau Post 25 players listen to coach Joe Tompkins, Tuesday, June 6, at Adair-Kennedy Field after practice. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
Frisbee golf discs. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

New recovery group to host fun, sober activities

A new drug and alcohol recovery group, Great Bear Recovery Collective, is hosting a disc golf night on Friday at Aant’iyiek Park and Disc Golf… Continue reading

Frisbee golf discs. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears finish fourth at state

The need was the same as it was two days before — turn a double play. The Juneau-Douglas High School baseball team couldn’t do it… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain, Alondra Echiverri (22) sprints to first base Friday, June 3, at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Softball Small Schools State Softball Championships in the South Davis Park Complex in Fairbanks. (Sarah Manriquez | For the Juneau Empire)

Thunder Mountain perfect so far in state tournament

As of press time on Saturday, Thunder Mountain High School was a perfect 3-0 in the Alaska School Activities Association/First National Bank Alaska State Softball… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain, Alondra Echiverri (22) sprints to first base Friday, June 3, at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Softball Small Schools State Softball Championships in the South Davis Park Complex in Fairbanks. (Sarah Manriquez | For the Juneau Empire)
Morgan Balovich hits the ball to centerfield against North Pole, Friday, June 2, at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Softball Championships in Fairbanks. (Sarah Manriquez | For the Juneau Empire)

State softball: Meiners-less Crimson Bears win three in a row

The Juneau-Douglas High School softball team is crushing the competition so far in the Alaska School Activities Association/First National Bank Alaska State Softball Championships. The… Continue reading

Morgan Balovich hits the ball to centerfield against North Pole, Friday, June 2, at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Softball Championships in Fairbanks. (Sarah Manriquez | For the Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas’ Donavin McCurley is caught in a rundown. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)

Wolverines’ rallies doom Crimson Bears

The motivation was there; the execution wasn’t. For the third time in four years, South Anchorage High School prevented Juneau-Douglas High School from reaching the… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas’ Donavin McCurley is caught in a rundown. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)
Luke Mallinger scores the Crimson Bears’ second run Thursday against South Anchorage at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Baseball Tournament. JDHS lost to South but defeated Colony on Friday. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears put up 20 runs in win over Colony

It’s hard to lose a baseball game when you hit the ball 17 times. The Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears showed that in a 20-16 win over… Continue reading

Luke Mallinger scores the Crimson Bears’ second run Thursday against South Anchorage at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Baseball Tournament. JDHS lost to South but defeated Colony on Friday. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)
Addie Buss competes on the balance beam at the Yukon Gymnastics Championships in Whitehorse, Yukon, Sunday, May 28. (Tom Patrick | Yukon News)

Juneau gymnasts compete in Yukon’s capital

Southeast Alaska Gymnastics Academy (SAGA) gymnasts finished their competition season on Sunday at the Yukon Gymnastics Championships in Whitehorse, Yukon. Eva Miller was the highest… Continue reading

Addie Buss competes on the balance beam at the Yukon Gymnastics Championships in Whitehorse, Yukon, Sunday, May 28. (Tom Patrick | Yukon News)
The Juneau Junior Golf Club poses on the first green of the Mendenhall Golf Course. The club is recruiting youth ages 12-18 to its summer program that introduces the skills, rules and etiquette of golf to beginners. Left to right: Tom Daugherty, Henry Davis, Cody Mitchell, Arna Ellefson-Carnes, Connor Norman, Guy Thibodeau and Diane Mayer. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Local golfers looking for youth to play with this summer

Of the four teenagers standing outside the small blue Mendenhall Golf Course clubhouse, 16-year-old Connor Norman most fits the part of a youth golfer. Sporting… Continue reading

The Juneau Junior Golf Club poses on the first green of the Mendenhall Golf Course. The club is recruiting youth ages 12-18 to its summer program that introduces the skills, rules and etiquette of golf to beginners. Left to right: Tom Daugherty, Henry Davis, Cody Mitchell, Arna Ellefson-Carnes, Connor Norman, Guy Thibodeau and Diane Mayer. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
In this file photo from May 2016, Thunder Mountain High School’s Jonah Penrose rounds a turn during the Region V Track and Field Championships at TMHS. (Konrad Frank | Juneau Empire File)

Thunder Mountain boys finish ninth, girls 15th at state track meet

Thunder Mountain High School junior Jonah Penrose returned the Alaska School Activities Association/First National Bank Alaska State Track & Field Meet in the best shape… Continue reading

In this file photo from May 2016, Thunder Mountain High School’s Jonah Penrose rounds a turn during the Region V Track and Field Championships at TMHS. (Konrad Frank | Juneau Empire File)
The Thunder Mountain High School softball team hams it up for the camera after winning the Region V softball championship with a 17-11 win over Juneau-Douglas High School, Saturday, May 27, 2017, at Melvin Park. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Thunder Mountain rolls to Region V championship

It was all smiles, hugs and funny poses for pictures after Thunder Mountain High School defeated Juneau-Douglas 17-11 Saturday to win the Alaska School Activities… Continue reading

The Thunder Mountain High School softball team hams it up for the camera after winning the Region V softball championship with a 17-11 win over Juneau-Douglas High School, Saturday, May 27, 2017, at Melvin Park. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain senior Zeb Storie (2) safely slides to second base while Petersburg freshman Thomas Durkin (3) waits for the ball Thursday, May 25, 2017, during Thunder Mountain’s 17-3 win against Petersburg in the Region V Baseball Tournament at Norman Walker Field in Ketchikan. (Taylor Balkom | Ketchikan Daily News)

Sitka blanks Crimson Bears, Falcons eliminate Kings

Through day two of the Region V Baseball Tournament in Ketchikan, all that was final was Petersburg and Ketchikan’s respective seasons. After eliminating Petersburg from… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain senior Zeb Storie (2) safely slides to second base while Petersburg freshman Thomas Durkin (3) waits for the ball Thursday, May 25, 2017, during Thunder Mountain’s 17-3 win against Petersburg in the Region V Baseball Tournament at Norman Walker Field in Ketchikan. (Taylor Balkom | Ketchikan Daily News)
Juneau-Douglas High School’s Leah Spargo pitches against Thunder Mountain in the Region V softball tournament Friday night at Melvin Park. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Falcons twice erase two-run deficits in win over JDHS

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Thunder Mountain High School shortstop Maxie Saceda-Hurt prevented a potential hit with some quick thinking and even quicker… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School’s Leah Spargo pitches against Thunder Mountain in the Region V softball tournament Friday night at Melvin Park. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School pitcher Leah Spargo throws to Skylar Hickok on Thursday in the Region V softball tournament, Thursday, May 25. The Crimson Bears defeated Ketchikan 10-3. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

JDHS surpasses Kayhi with four-run rally at Region V tournament

Coming into the Region V softball tournament on Thursday, each of the four games between the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears and Ketchikan Kings this season have… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School pitcher Leah Spargo throws to Skylar Hickok on Thursday in the Region V softball tournament, Thursday, May 25. The Crimson Bears defeated Ketchikan 10-3. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
Kyra Jenkins Hayes warms up before Thursday’s Region V tournament game against Sitka, May 26, at Melvin Park. TMHS won 12-3. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Falcons dispatch Wolves 12-3

There was a little less pep in the step of Zosha Krupa as she rounded all three bases for the second time Thursday afternoon in… Continue reading

Kyra Jenkins Hayes warms up before Thursday’s Region V tournament game against Sitka, May 26, at Melvin Park. TMHS won 12-3. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)