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Today in the MHSAA: 4/9/19
April 9, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Many in Michigan returned from Spring Break on Monday, and teams jumped straight into competition with five sports making our first daily achievers list of this season.
1. Girls Tennis: Petoskey won five flight championships en route to earning the Up North Invite team title – Petoskey News-Review
2. Softball: Kalkaska coach Rik Ponstein earned his 700th career win during his team’s sweep of Roscommon – Traverse City Record-Eagle
3. Boys Lacrosse: Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard edged rival Greenhills 7-6 in overtime – We Love Ann Arbor
4. Baseball: Division 1 No. 6 Lake Orion downed Division 3 No. 16 Madison Heights Bishop Foley for its first win – Oakland Press
5. Baseball: Division 3 No. 12 Michigan Center swept Jonesville in a rematch of last season’s Regional Final – Jackson Citizen-Patriot
6. Baseball: Division 2 No. 6 Saginaw Swan Valley took a pair of impressive wins over Mount Pleasant – Saginaw News
7. Softball: Gladwin earned a pair of one-run wins over Midland Dow – Midland Daily News
8. Baseball: Division 1 No. 16 Plymouth won big over Northville in a matchup of Kensington Lakes Activities Association contenders – Observer & Eccentric
9. Softball: Division 1 No. 8 Canton improved to 2-0 with a 6-1 win over Novi – State Champs Sports Network
10. Girls Soccer: Taylor Noble had a first-half hat trick as Boyne City downed Kalkaska – MI Sports Now
Also of note …
Baseball: From Friday, Fowlerville downed Division 2 top-ranked Detroit Country Day 2-1 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Softball: From Friday, No. 4 Howell avenged a Wednesday loss with a big win over No. 2 Hartland to finish their first rematch from last season’s Division 1 Semifinal – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Baseball: From Friday, Division 1 No. 3 Grandville made a trip east and left with a 13-6 win over Division 2 No. 2 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – State Champs Sports Network
Baseball: From April 3, Division 1 No. 8 Detroit Catholic Central swept top-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice – Observer & Eccentric
![Holland West Ottawa Public Schools’ new athletics complex has been recognized as the top multi-field facility nationally by the American Sports Builders Association.](/sites/default/files/2023-12/231212_WestOttawa_2H.png)
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.)