Today in the MHSAA: 5/11/17
May 11, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Michigan’s schools are celebrating the first track & field league championships of 2017 as Regionals draw near beginning a week from Friday.
Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.
Baseball
Division 1 No. 18 Brighton clinched its seventh league title in nine seasons, sweeping Grand Blanc to secure the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West championship – Livingston County Daily Press & Argus
Boys Golf
Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 4 Flint Powers Catholic won its Saginaw Valley League jamboree with a 299, led by senior Blaise Vanitvelt’s 67 – Flint Journal
Boys Lacrosse
Division 1 top-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice downed Division 2 No. 4 Detroit Country Day 15-5 in a matchup of two of Michigan’s annual powers – Oakland Press
Girls Soccer
Portage Central, No. 17 in Division 1, downed Division 2 No. 5 Richland Gull Lake 2-0, handing Gull Lake its first Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference loss in four years – Kalamazoo Gazette
Softball
Division 1 No. 8 Howell secured the KLAA West championship with a sweep of Milford, its second title in three seasons – Livingston County Daily Press & Argus
Track & Field
Battle Creek St. Philip swept Southern Central Athletic Association West championships, with Colon second in both meets; St. Phil’s boys are ranked No. 5 in LP Division 4 – Battle Creek Enquirer
The Pittsford girls, No. 3 in LP Division 4, and Hillsdale Academy boys won the SCAA East championships – Hillsdale Daily News
The Rock Mid Peninsula girls won their invitational by 33 points over Engadine, while Engadine won the boys meet – Escanaba Daily Press
For the second time in a week, Ithaca thrower Alex VanDeWeghe broke a school record set in 1988, this time in the discus with a toss of 154-10 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Brethren’s boys claimed the West Michigan D League championship – Manistee News Advocate
From Tuesday, Ubly swept the championships at the Laker Rotary Invitational at Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port, edging Bad Axe in both meets – Huron Daily Tribune
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.)