Today In The MHSAA: 4/13/22

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 13, 2022

1. GIRLS SOCCER Division 2 No. 3 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central won a matchup of 2021 semifinalists 4-0 over Byron Center – FOX 17

2. BASEBALL Division 1 top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary’s swept No. 3 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice with a pair of six-inning shutouts including a no-hitter by MHSAA Student Advisory Council senior Brock Porter – Oakland Press

3. BOYS GOLF Big Rapids shot a 351 to win the Chippewa Hills Invitational – Big Rapids Pioneer

4. GIRLS TENNIS Traverse City Central won the Up North Invitational with six flight champions – Petoskey News-Review

5. GIRLS SOCCER Division 1 No. 9 Troy scored three goals over the final three minutes to earn a 5-5 draw with No. 10 Bloomfield Hills – Oakland Press

6. BASEBALL Midland Dow swept Division 1 No. 18 Traverse City West, coming back from a six-run deficit in the first game – Midland Daily News

7. BASEBALL Division 2 No. 16 Freeland swept Alma, with Jake Kowalski throwing a no-hitter in the 1-0 second-game win – Saginaw News

8. TRACK & FIELD Traverse City Central’s Kadyn Warner helped his team past Alpena with a shot put of 56-2½ – Traverse City Record-Eagle

9. SOFTBALL Muskegon Reeths-Puffer and Wyoming split, with Rockets freshman Maddie Snyder hitting a grand slam and three-run homer in the team’s victory – MuskegonSports.com

10. SOFTBALL Milan’s Mariah Stines struck out 12 in a five-inning no-hitter of Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central – Monroe News

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.)