Today In The MHSAA: 5/10/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 10, 2021

1. Baseball: Blissfield swept Belleville, giving Royals coach Larry Tuttle his 1,315th win to tie him for most in MHSAA history – Toledo Blade

2. Track & Field: St. Louis’ girls – ranked No. 1 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – continued their strong spring with a Shepherd Invitational championship – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

3. Softball: Division 4 top-ranked Holton swept White Cloud, with Ryann Robins striking out 21 for the Red Devils in the first game to tie for third-most Ks in a seven-inning game in MHSAA history – Local Sports Journal

4. Softball: Division 3 top-ranked Millington held on for a 7-5 Mother’s Day win over Division 2 No. 4 Escanaba – Escanaba Daily Press

5. Track & Field: The Onsted girls (LPD3 No. 2) and Adrian Madison boys (No. 5) won Wildcat Boosters Invitational championships, Onsted two points ahead of the LPD4 top-ranked Hillsdale Academy girls – Adrian Daily Telegram

6. Boys Golf: Traverse City Central – No 8 in LPD1 – shot a 320 to win the Big North Conference Invitational by eight strokes – Traverse City Record-Eagle

7. Track & Field: Corunna swept the small-school championships at its Cavalier Classic; the boys are ranked No. 9 in LPD2 – Owosso Argus-Press

8. Baseball: Undefeated and No. 8-ranked Hartland opened the Bobcat Classic with a 5-1 win over No. 16 Grand Blanc – State Champs Sports Network

9. Boys Golf: Whitehall edged Lowell by seven strokes with a 338 to win the Wildcat Invitational – Local Sports Journal

10. Softball: Three Rivers’ Kali Heivilin did it all during a sweep of Paw Paw, playing every position in the second game and finishing the day a combined 9 for 9 with four home runs – WWMT

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: Current Alabama assistant and former Southfield Christian head coach Josh Baker has been hired to take over at River Rouge – Detroit 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.)