Today in the MHSAA: 5/16/17
May 16, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
More league championships were clinched Tuesday, with the most notable matchups pitting ranked teams from the Kensington Lakes Activities Association in three sports.
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. 2 Sterling Heights Stevenson rode a one-hitter by Garrett Navarra to a 7-0 win over Macomb Dakota to clinch a share of an eighth straight league title – Macomb Daily
Division 1 No. 3 Birmingham Groves swept Seaholm to earn a share of the Oakland Activities Association White championship – Oakland Press
Girls Lacrosse
Division 1 No. 7 Brighton downed No. 6 Northville 20-12, avenging a 2016 loss, to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association title – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Boys Lacrosse
Division 1 No. 3 Hartland clinched its first KLAA boys lacrosse title with an 11-4 win over No. 10 South Lyon United – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Softball
In a matchup of two of the top teams statewide in Division 1, No. 8 Howell downed No. 3 White Lake Lakeland to claim the KLAA Kensington title and avenge its only loss this spring – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Girls Tennis
From Saturday, Lower Peninsula No. 4 Allegan won its 13th straight Wolverine Conference championship and 20th league title over the last 21 seasons – AlleganAthletics.com
Track & Field
Houghton’s girls and boys continued their domination of the northern Upper Peninsula with titles at the Copper Country Invitational at Calumet – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
From Saturday, Otsego swept the Wolverine Conference championships, the boys edging Vicksburg and the girls finishing nearly 60 points ahead of the field – Athletic.net
Good Read
Tennessee Titans lineman and St. Clair grad Tim Lelito is leading a charge to help pay for participation fees for athletes in the Port Huron area – Port Huron Times Herald
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.)