Today in the MHSAA: 11/7/18

November 7, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

Volleyball Regionals kicked off Tuesday, with a matchup of ranked teams in Division 3 topping today’s list of achievers – and be sure to check out as well a major announcement in boys soccer.

1. Volleyball: No. 2 Bronson swept No. 9 Centreville in a Division 3 Regional Semifinal – Coldwater Daily Reporter

2. Volleyball: No. 8 Northville downed honorable mention Temperance Bedford in four sets to move on in Division 1 – Observer & Eccentric

3. Volleyball: No. 7 North Muskegon continued a 25-1 run over the second half of the season with a four-set win over Pewamo-Westphalia in Division 3 – Local Sports Journal

4. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 10 Brighton Charyl Stockwell swept honorable mention Adrian Madison by the closest possible margins to move on – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

5. Volleyball: No. 3 Camden-Frontier moved on in Division 4 with a sweep of honorable mention Fowler – Hillsdale Daily News

6. Volleyball: Fraser came back from losing the first set to outlast Grosse Pointe South in five in Division 1 – Macomb Daily

7. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 10 Rudyard swept Pellston to move on to a Regional Final – Petoskey News-Review

8. Volleyball: Division 4 No. 8 Merrill split the first two sets before prevailing over Dryden – Saginaw News

9. Volleyball: Division 2 honorable mention Cadillac came back after losing the first set to defeat Gladwin in four – MI Sports Now

10. Volleyball: No. 2 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep advanced with a sweep of Marysville – Oakland Press

Also of note …

Boys Soccer: Kalamazoo Hackett’s Brennan Creek became the first Division 4 player to be selected Mr. Soccer by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association – WWMT

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.

The band performs at Holland West Ottawa's athletics complex.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.)