Today in the MHSAA: 11/27/17
November 27, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Today's Top 10
1. Hockey: Division 3 No. 3 Hancock claimed the Copper Island Classic title with a 12-8 aggregate score after two wins over rival and No. 4-ranked Calumet – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
2. Hockey: Allen Park won its third straight Jaguar Thanksgiving Classic, downing Brownstown Woodhaven 3-2 on Saturday after beating Gibraltar Carlson on Friday – Southgate News Herald
3. Hockey: Cadillac bounced back from a loss to rival Big Rapids with a 4-2 win over Manistee – Cadillac News
4. Hockey: Saline downed Ann Arbor Pioneer 5-3 in their annual Thanksgiving Eve game – Saline Post
5. Hockey: Grand Haven split with Macomb Dakota (losing 4-3 in overtime) and Portage Northern (winning 5-4) over the weekend – Grand Haven Tribune
6. Hockey: Riverview Gabriel Richard got past Alpena 2-1 on Saturday in the second day of the Huron Shores Showcase – Alpena News
7. Hockey: White Lake Lakeland won the Barber’s Cup with a 7-1 victory over Milford – Observer & Eccentric
8. Hockey: Division 1 No. 8 Utica Eisenhower is off to a great start this season, and the Eisenhower hockey family is as well supporting area homeless through Victoria Hall’s Spare Care program – Macomb Daily
9. Football: Canton coach Tim Baechler announced his retirement after leading the Chiefs to a 173-52 record over 20 years – Observer & Eccentric
10. Football: Port Huron assistant coach and longtime athletic director Ken Semelsberger decided this would be his last year on the sidelines, 50 years after coaching his first game – Port Huron Times Herald
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.)