Today in the MHSAA: 4/13/16
April 13, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
As spring sports began picking up the pace with the warmer weather Tuesday, communities also celebrated lives of those now passed, including a statewide voice of high school sports.
Baseball
Big Rapids and Morley Stanwood wasted little time getting their offenses going, with Big Rapids coming out on top 19-14 in the only game of a doubleheader that got in before dark – Big Rapids News
Mount Pleasant got a no-hitter and two-hitter from its pitchers in a season-opening sweep of Midland Dow – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Pitchers Brandon Reed and Caleb Wascher each had 13 strikeouts as Millington swept Montrose 4-3 and 6-1 – Saginaw News
Boys Lacrosse
Birmingham Brother Rice survived another close game with rival Detroit Country Day, this time 8-3 – Oakland Press
Softball
Utica Ford, a regular contender at the statewide level, downed reigning Division 1 champion Warren Regina 14-4 – Macomb Daily
Stevensville Lakeshore downed Edwardsburg 13-3 in its first game of the season, but Edwardsburg stormed back with a 17-4 win over the annual MHSAA title contender – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
Good Reads
Paul Carey was best known as a voice of the Detroit Tigers for a generation. But he also played a major role in Michigan high school sports, as we wrote about in 2014. Carey died Tuesday at 88 – Detroit News
Lacrosse rivals Battle Creek Lakeview and Harper Creek played each other with a common motivation Tuesday – to raise money and offer support for the family of Harlyn Radley, a local 6-year-old who died in a car crash in February – Battle Creek Enquirer
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.)