Today in the MHSAA: 10/10/23
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 10, 2023
1. BOYS SOCCER Division 1 No. 6 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern clinched the Ottawa-Kent Conference White title with a 2-1 win over Division 2 No. 3 Forest Hills Central – FOX 17
2. BOYS SOCCER Division 1 No. 13 Dearborn Edsel Ford claimed its first outright Downriver League championship with a 3-0 win over Brownstown Woodhaven – Southgate News-Herald
3. BOYS SOCCER Division 2 No. 2 Holland Christian ran its shutout streak to 10 with a scoreless draw against No. 4 Fruitport that earned the Maroons the O-K Blue championship – Holland Sentinel
4. GIRLS GOLF Top-ranked Brighton shot a 322 to win its Lower Peninsula Division 1 Regional, followed by No. 2 Plymouth and No. 3 Northville – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
5. BOYS SOCCER Auburn Hills Avondale clinched its first outright league championship in a decade, scoring late to get past Ferndale 3-1 in the Oakland Activities Association Blue – Oakland Press
6. BOYS SOCCER Division 1 No. 4 Traverse City West ran its Big North Conference title streak to 14 with a 7-0 clincher over Gaylord – Traverse City Record-Eagle
7. BOYS TENNIS LPD4 No. 4 Ludington extended its Coastal Conference championship streak to three with a league tournament victory – Ludington Daily News
8. BOYS SOCCER Division 1 No. 2 Northville rode a fast start to a 3-0 win over Livonia Stevenson in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association final – Hometown Life
9. BOYS SOCCER New Baltimore Anchor Bay and Division 1 No. 12 Utica Eisenhower finished as co-champs of the Macomb Area Conference Red with their 1-1 draw – Macomb Daily
10. GIRLS GOLF No. 6 Ann Arbor Greenhills followed Mia Melendez to an LPD4 Regional title – Ann Arbor News
Holland West Ottawa Athletics Complex Recognized with National Award
December 12, 2023
Holland West Ottawa Public Schools’ new athletics complex, with architectural firm GMB, has been recognized as the top multi-field facility nationally by the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), the national organization for builders and suppliers of materials for athletic facilities.
West Ottawa’s new stadium consists of two turf playing fields. The west field was designed deliberately without a surrounding track to bring the stands and field closer together with a central tunnel beneath the grandstands for the home team to enter onto the field. The same synthetic turf, light posts, and state-of-the-art audio/video systems are utilized on both fields for an equitable experience for all users.
Multiple ground-level entry points with access to the fields, barrier-free locker rooms and multiple seating options with elevator access also create accessibility for spectators, players, coaches, and support staff.
“This facility allows our students the opportunity to play in one of the premier complexes in the state of Michigan,” said Jeff Malloch, assistant superintendent of business services at West Ottawa Public Schools. “We have seen continued interest in lacrosse, football, and soccer, and this complex will be utilized by our community youth from elementary age to high school student-athletes.”
Adding elevated fan experiences, such as a concourse level between the upper and lower sections of the home stands, bigger bleachers, and updated concession stands and restrooms establish a venue for multiple sports and attract the entire community to utilize the facility.
“This is a one-of-a-kind facility for West Michigan, and it’s been wonderful to see student-athletes from across the state enjoy the complex’s unique amenities,” said Nate Bosch, a landscape architect with GMB. “The collaboration needed to make this project come to life was an inspiring process to be a part of, and we are so pleased to celebrate this accomplishment with West Ottawa.”
This is the first time a GMB project has been awarded a multi-field facility of the year honor by the ASBA. GMB also has received four Project of the Year honors in the outdoor tennis category and 20 distinguished awards from ASBA for other athletic facility projects over the past 12 years.
(Photos by M-Buck Studio.)