Today in the MHSAA: 10/3/16
October 3, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
It’s tough right now to remember a day without rain in our state, but showers couldn’t stop a number of high-profile cross country events that highlighted a busy weekend for most of our sports.
Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.
Cross Country
The top-ranked Birmingham Seaholm girls won the Coaching Legends Invitational at Huron Meadows ahead of No. 2 Northville and No. 3 Ann Arbor Pioneer as the top teams in Lower Peninsula Division 1 matched up; No. 12 Macomb Dakota finished ahead of No. 15 Okemos to win the boys race – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
The St. Clair girls (tied for No. 8 in LPD2) and boys (No. 7) teams swept titles at the Wagener Park Invitational in Harbor Beach – Port Huron Times Herald
Dearborn Divine Child’s girls (tied for No. 5 in LPD2) just got past Adrian, by two points, to win the Marauder Invitational at Lake Erie Metropark – Southgate News Herald
The LPD2 No. 15 St. Joseph girls combined with the Bears’ boys to sweep titles at the Berrien County Invitational – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
The Grand Haven boys and Rockford girls (No. 12 in LPD1) won the Allendale Invitational – Grand Haven Tribune
The Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart girls – No. 1 in LPD4 – and the LPD3 No. 5 Hanover-Horton boys won the Carson City-Crystal Invitational – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Manton’s boys and girls swept titles at the Leroy Pine River Invitational; the boys are No. 7 in LPD4 and the girls are ranked No. 8 – Cadillac News
Coldwater’s Shuaib Aljabaly set a school record of 15:34 in winning the Ostego Invitational boys race – Coldwater Daily News
Girls Swimming & Diving
Battle Creek Lakeview won its 14th straight All-City championship, but not without a challenge from Harper Creek – Battle Creek Enquirer
LPD1 top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy won its 12th straight Oakland County championship, finishing nearly 100 points ahead of the field – Oakland Press
Utica Eisenhower added a third straight Macomb County title in closer fashion, finishing ahead of Dakota by 33 points – Macomb Daily
Boys Tennis
LPD1 No. 2 Ann Arbor Huron got past Division 2 No. 1 Midland Dow 6-2 in one of the season’s most high-profile matches to date – Midland Daily News
Volleyball
Adrian Madison improved to 25-3-2 with its first tournament championship, at Concord – Adrian Daily Telegram
Gaylord won the Kalkaska Invitational for the second straight year with a sweep of Houghton Lake in the final – Petoskey News
Edwardsburg downed Class C No. 2 Bronson in the championship match of the Polish Classic – Sturgis Journal
Class B No. 7 Battle Creek Harper Creek got past Coldwater to win its home invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter
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.)