Today in the MHSAA: 11/11/16
November 11, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A total of 32 Regional championships were earned by volleyball teams across our state Thursday as a number of ranked teams faced off and a few of the unranked delivered the night’s biggest stunners.
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.
Volleyball
Class A No. 5 Rockford downed league rival and No. 9 Grand Haven, 3-2 – Grand Rapids Press
Unranked Fenton continued its unexpected run, this time upsetting No. 2 Clarkston in Class A – Flint Journal
Bloomfield Hills Marian downed Sterling Heights Stevenson in Class A in another match of state poll honorable mentions – MLive-Detroit
Class A No. 4 Portage Central edged No. 3 DeWitt after trailing the Panthers 2-1 – Lansing State Journal
Novi continued its dominance of Class A; the top-ranked Wildcats swept No. 7 Farmington Hills Mercy – Oakland Press
Unranked Adrian eliminated reigning Class B champion Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, which was ranked No. 4 this fall – Ann Arbor News
Corunna, an honorable mention in Class B, won its first Regional title in volleyball with a 3-0 sweep of honorable mention Saginaw Swan Valley – Saginaw News
St. Clair Shores South Lake won its first Regional title, downing Detroit University Prep in four sets in Class B – Macomb Daily
Calumet won its fifth straight Regional title, downing Rudyard in a match of Class C honorable mentions – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Reigning champion and No. 2 Bronson got past No. 8 Kalamazoo Christian in Class C – Battle Creek Enquirer
Class C No. 6 Brown City won its second straight Regional title, downing No. 4 New Lothrop – Port Huron Times-Herald
Class C No. 9 Laingsburg reached the Quarterfinals for the second straight season, this time with a sweep of No. 3 Kent City – MLive-Lansing
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.)