Today in the MHSAA: 2/12/19
February 12, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Postponements the last few weeks helped make for the busiest Monday of this winter as Wrestling Team Districts joined Skiing Regionals among other headline-making events across the state.
1. Wrestling: Division 3 No. 4 Remus Chippewa Hills downed Big Rapids and Reed City to clinch its 15th straight team District title – Big Rapids News
2. Skiing: Petoskey’s girls repeated as Division 2 Regional champs, while Great North Alpine’s boys won ahead of the reigning Finals champ Northmen – Petoskey News Review girls | boys
3. Skiing: Hartland’s boys won their first league title and Brighton’s girls won for the first time since 2014 by taking first at the Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship meet – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
4. Skiing: Traverse City Central’s girls and Marquette’s boys won Division 1 Regional titles – Traverse City Record-Eagle
5. Girls Basketball: East Grand Rapids downed Grand Rapids South Christian 71-51 to clinch a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold championship – FOX 17
6. Wrestling: St. Louis won its fourth straight District title, downing Beaverton and Blanchard Montabella in Division 4 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
7. Boys Basketball: Brownstown Woodhaven won a share of a fourth straight Downriver League title with a 54-52 win over Dearborn Edsel Ford – Southgate News-Herald
8. Boys Basketball: Unionville-Sebewaing won its 35th straight regular-season game, but needed four overtimes to get past Saginaw Valley Lutheran 65-60 – Huron Daily Tribune
9. Wrestling: Midland repeated as a Division 1 District champ with wins over Dow and Bay City Western – Midland Daily News
10. Wrestling: Gladwin avenged last season’s District loss to Ogemaw Heights on the way to winning its Division 3 District – Midland Daily News
Also of note …
Girls Basketball: Royal Oak Shrine’s Grace Murray scored her 1,000th career point in her team’s win over Ann Arbor Greenhills – Oakland Press
Boys Basketball: Walkerville’s Adrian Haligus scored 52 points on the way to going over 1,000 during a win against Marion – Muskegon Chronicle
Boys Basketball: From Friday, Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Drew Lowder went over 1,000 points in a win over Ann Arbor Huron – We Love Ann Arbor
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.)