Today in the MHSAA: 4/30/18
April 30, 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: Brighton's Chloe Haskins struck out 23 hitters in a 10-inning no-hit 1-0 win over Division 4 No. 9 Onaway – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
2. Boys Lacrosse: Division 2 top-ranked Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central downed Division 1 No. 6 Birmingham Brother Rice 12-5 – WOOD TV
3. Boys Lacrosse: Division 2 No. 7 Battle Creek Lakeview claimed its All-City championship with a 13-2 win over Harper Creek – Battle Creek Enquirer
4. Boys Golf: East Grand Rapids won Division 2 and the overall championship at the Traverse City Tee-Off with a two-day score of 631; Big Rapids’ Pierce Morrissey was the individual medalist with a two-day 145 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
5. Track & Field: Livonia Churchill’s girls repeated as Livonia Public Schools Invitational champions by a mere four points, while the boys repeated by a slightly larger margin – Observer & Eccentric Girls | Boys
6. Track & Field: Host Gibraltar Carlson’s boys won their seventh straight Marauder Invitational while Grosse Ile’s girls also repeated as champions – Southgate News Herald Girls | Boys
7. Track & Field: Pewamo-Westphalia’s girls and boys dominated in claiming Chesaning Invitational championships – Ionia Sentinel-Standard
8. Softball: Division 3 honorable mention Boyne City won its home invitational outscoring its opponents by a combined 35-1 – Petoskey News-Review
9. Baseball: Hillman won its inaugural Tiger Invitational with wins over Brimley and Ogemaw Heights – Alpena News
10. Softball: Division 2 No. 3 Escanaba remained undefeated with a sweep of Bay City Western – Escanaba Daily Press
Also of note …
Conferences: Houghton Lake and Roscommon will be leaving the Jack Pine Conference after 2018-19 for the Highland Conference, while Marion will leave the Highland this summer for the West Michigan D League – MI Sports Now
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.)