Peninsula Sportscast Sept. 8, 2026: Stars Fall to Lathrop; Beck Shines for UAA Volleyball

Friday night at Justin Maile Field, three-time defending Division Two champion Soldotna hosted unbeaten Railbelt rival Lathrop. Soldotna entered 2-and-1 after a 35-28 loss to Star Valley. Lathrop was 3-and-0 and seeking revenge for last year's state-title loss. Lathrop reached the red zone first, but Soldotna's fourth-down stand started an 88-yard drive. With Zack Kemp back at quarterback, the Stars marched the field, and Ethan Cooper finished it with a 24-yard run. The extra point was blocked, leaving Soldotna ahead 6-nothing. After another stop, the Stars drove 60 yards before Eli Richards finished from the 1. The conversion failed. Lathrop answered just before halftime when Boaz Balash found Eamon Johnson, cutting Soldotna's lead to 12-6. Kemp rushed six times for 64 yards and passed for 35 before leaving injured early in the third. Balash hit Wilson Lawson for 55 yards to open the fourth, and Lathrop added another touchdown and field goal to complete 23 unanswered points. Cooper later left by ambulance after finishing with 89 yards and a touchdown. Early word indicated he avoided a serious injury. Lincoln Hinds scored late, and Richards caught the two-point pass, but Lathrop recovered the onside kick and completed the comeback, 23-20. It was Soldotna's first back-to-back losses since Galen Brantley Junior became head coach in 2007. In college volleyball, Kenai graduate Emma Beck recorded five kills and two block assists as UAA fell to ninth-ranked Fresno Pacific in five sets. The loss ended the Seawolves' seven-match winning streak. UAA will open GNAC play against Seattle Pacific Thursday in Anchorage.