Today in the MHSAA: 4/27/18
April 27, 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.
1. Softball: Division 3 top-ranked Clinton and unranked Adrian Madison both handed the other its first loss in a doubleheader split – Adrian Daily Telegram
2. Track & Field: Rapid River’s boys and Escanaba’s girls won Delta County Invitational titles, Escanaba for the seventh straight season (not counting last year’s meet being canceled) – Escanaba Daily Press
3. Baseball: Unranked Cass City scored a combined 22 runs in a sweep of Division 4 No. 3 Unionville-Sebewaing – Huron Daily Tribune
4. Track & Field: For the second straight meet, Hamilton’s Trevor Blood broke the school pole vault record, this time going 14-2 in a win over Hudsonville Unity Christian – Holland Sentinel
5. Girls Soccer: Division 1 No. 14 Saline scored with less than two minutes to play to edge Pinckney 1-0 – Saline Post
6. Girls Soccer: Callie Rich and Division 1 No. 4 Novi shut out Plymouth 1-0 to improve to 6-1-1 – Observer & Eccentric
7. Girls Soccer: Division 1 No. 3 Walled Lake Northern improved to 10-0 with a 7-0 win over Waterford Kettering – Detroit News
8. Girls soccer: Maya Dean has had a foot in every Traverse City West goal this season and helped the Titans past Traverse City Central 3-2 on Thursday – Traverse City Record Eagle
9. Softball: Grand Haven earned a 6-1 win over Rockford, last season’s Ottawa-Kent Conference Red champion – Grand Haven Tribune
10. Football: Jerry Diorio, most recently an assistant at Benton Harbor after previously leading Wayland to four playoff appearances, has been hired as Battle Creek Lakeview’s next coach – Battle Creek Enquirer
Also of note …
Hockey: Chelsea coach Don Wright has retired with a 304-146-35 record after 18 seasons and after leading the team to the Division 3 Quarterfinals this winter – Sun Times 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.
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.)