Today in the MHSAA: 5/17/17
May 17, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The 2016-17 MHSAA school year ends a month from today, and Tuesday included another long list of league title-clinching events but also a couple impressive strings of success in girls and boys golf.
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
Jack Huisman’s walk-off hit gave Division 2 No. 3 Holland Christian a 6-5 win over Grandville Calvin Christian – Grand Rapids Press
Pinconning secured a share of the Tri-Valley Conference West title with a sweep of Hemlock; this is Pinconning’s first year in the league – Bay City Times
Marshall claimed a share of the Interstate Eight Conference title with a sweep of Battle Creek Harper Creek – Battle Creek Enquirer
Morley Stanwood clinched the Central State Activities Association Silver title with a sweep of White Cloud – Big Rapids News
Division 3 No. 4 Clare earned a share of its second straight Jack Pine Conference title with a sweep of Beaverton which included a walk-off homer – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Girls Golf
Upper Peninsula Division 1 top-ranked Houghton won an invitational for the second straight day, this time at Portage Lake – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Boys Golf
Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 6 Gaylord won its sixth straight event and Brendon Gouin won his third straight individual championship over six days at the Blue Devil Open – Gaylord Herald Times
Girls Lacrosse
Division 1 No. 5 Birmingham United came back from three goals down to edge Division 2 No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Marian 14-13 – MLive-Detroit
Boys Lacrosse
Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse earned the Macomb Area Conference White title with a 23-15 win over Utica Ford – Macomb Daily
Girls Soccer
Division 1 No. 6 Brighton tied No. 5 Grand Blanc 0-0 to advance to the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Lakes championship game – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Traverse City West freshman Jaelyn Dobrowolski broke the Big North Conference single-season points record with a goal in her team’s 5-2 win over Traverse City Central – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Division 4 No. 4 Saginaw Nouvel downed Clio thanks in large part to five goals by Katherine Felton – Saginaw News
Softball
Division 1 No. 2 Macomb Dakota clinched its third straight Macomb Area Conference Red title with a sweep of Romeo – Macomb Daily
From Monday, Canton won the KLAA Kensington championship and advanced to today’s overall final with a 5-1 win over Northville in a matchup of Division 1 honorable mentions – Observer & Eccentric
Girls Tennis
LP Division 3 top-ranked Detroit Country Day downed LP Division 1 No. 3 Bloomfield Hills 5-3 winning three singles flights – Oakland Press
Track & Field
Marlette swept the championships at the Greater Thumb Conference East Invitational – Huron Daily Tribune
Cass City’s boys and Reese’s girls were the overall winners at the GTC West Invitational – 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.)