Today in the MHSAA: 5/22/17
May 22, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This past weekend belonged mostly to Track & Field Regionals, with some familiar faces – Oak Park and Saugatuck among them – shining brightest again.
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
Mattawan, coached by Joe Clifford, downed younger brother Phil Clifford and Jackson Lumen Christi to win the Al Glick Classic – Jackson Citizen Patriot
Essexville Garber equaled its most wins since 2006 in claiming its invitational title, and after opening with a 10-run victory over Division 4 No. 9 Saginaw Nouvel – Bay City Times
Howell swept Division 1 No. 5 Birmingham Brother Rice 8-0 and 4-2 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Boys Lacrosse
Vi Lobo set Midland’s career scoring record with three goals in a 17-1 Division 1 Regional win over Holly/Ortonville Brandon – Midland Daily News
Softball
Ishpeming Westwood won the Mid-Peninsula Conference tournament for the first time, downing Norway in the final – Marquette Mining Journal
Girls Tennis
Bay City All Saints and Frankenmuth shared a Lower Peninsula Division 4 Regional title after an All Saints win in the final match – Bay City Times
St. Joseph won an LP Division 2 Regional title by two points over three runners-up – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
Track & Field
Oak Park’s girls and boys – both reigning MHSAA Finals champions – dominated in sweeping LP Division 1 Regional titles – Oakland Press
Saugatuck’s boys and girls teams won their fifth straight Regional titles, this time in LP Division 3; the girls are ranked No. 1 and the boys No. 3 – Grand Rapids Press
Led by a star freshman, Lansing Waverly’s girls won their first Regional title after winning their first MHSAA Finals title last season – Lansing State Journal
Battle Creek St. Phillip’s boys won their first Regional title since 1982 after entering the meet ranked No. 3 in LP Division 4 – Battle Creek Enquirer
Bessemer’s boys won their fifth straight Regional title, while Lake Linden-Hubbell’s girls also dominated at Wakefield-Marenisco – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
The Houghton boys and Negaunee girls won Regional titles at Ishpeming – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette
Salem’s No. 4-ranked boys won their LP Division 1 Regional by 36 points – Observer & Eccentric
Livonia Churchill’s girls repeated as LP Division 1 Regional champions by edging No. 3 Plymouth – Observer & Eccentric
Zeeland East swept LP Division 2 Regional titles; the girls are ranked No. 3 and the boys No. 4 – Holland Sentinel
No. 3 Pittsford edged No. 4 Hillsdale Academy by 3.5 points to win their LP Division 4 Regional – Hillsdale Daily News
Coldwater’s No. 5-ranked boys remained undefeated on the season with an LP Division 2 Regional title – Coldwater Daily Reporter
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart’s girls won their first Regional title "in decades," finishing 46 points better than the LP Division 4 field – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Shepherd’s No. 6 girls finished 46 points better than reigning LP Division 3 champion Ithaca to claim a Regional title – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Niles’ boys won their second Regional title in three seasons in LP Division 2 – Niles Daily Star
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.)