Today in the MHSAA: 2/24/17
February 24, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
On what was the final night of the regular season for many girls basketball teams across the state, they made it count with league titles, upsets, milestone baskets and at least one school record.
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.
Girls Basketball
Edwardsburg clinched the Wolverine Conference overall championship with a 46-39 win over Otsego – Kalamazoo Gazette
Brethren clinched its first West Michigan D League title since 2006 with a win over Mason County Eastern – Manistee News Advocate
Leroy Pine River clinched a third straight Highland Conference outright title with a 48-43 win over Lake City – Cadillac News
Bark River-Harris upset Class D top-ranked Crystal Falls Forest Park 73-60 to cap the regular season – Escanaba Daily Press
Munising’s Marissa Immel, a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, passed 1,000 career points in a win over Rapid River – Marquette Mining Journal
Hartland downed Wayne Memorial to win the overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Kalle Martinez scored a school-record 48 points with 11 3-pointers as Bay City John Glenn got past Saginaw Swan Valley 64-56 – Bay City Times
Boys Basketball
Traverse City West took over sole possession of first place in the Big North Conference with a 49-46 win over Petoskey – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Hockey
Lake Orion downed Farmington Hills United 4-0 to cap an Oakland Activities Association Red title run – Oakland Press
Division 3 No. 3 Calumet won a matchup of state-ranked teams, downing Division 2 No. 10 Marquette 3-0 – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
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.)