Today in the MHSAA: 5/24/19
May 24, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Teams across Michigan are finishing up their regular-season schedules, with the Lakes Valley Conference tournaments played at University of Michigan making some of the biggest headlines Thursday.
1. Softball: Division 1 No. 10 Walled Lake Northern downed No. 4 South Lyon to win the Lakes Valley Conference tournament title – Oakland Press
2. Baseball: Division 1 No. 9 South Lyon locked up the Lakes Valley Conference regular-season title, while Walled Lake Northern came back to finish a league tournament championship – State Champs Sports Network
3. Girls Soccer: Laney Peasley became her school’s all-time scoring leader in a Division 2 District win over Fremont – Grand Haven Tribune
4. Softball: Division 1 No. 3 Howell celebrated the Kensington Lakes Activities Association overall title with a 10-1 win over honorable mention Livonia Stevenson – Livingston Press & Argus
5. Baseball: Division 3 No. 11 Cass City swept Reese to lock up the Greater Thumb Conference West title for the first time since 2012 – Huron Daily Tribune
6. Boys Golf: Plymouth, No. 9 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, edged Howell by six strokes to win the KLAA tournament – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
7. Baseball: Midland swept Bay City Central to claim a share of the Saginaw Valley League North title – Midland Daily News
8. Baseball: Division 1 No. 7 Brighton downed Livonia Stevenson 8-0 to clinch the overall KLAA title for the first time since 2012 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
9. Softball: Battle Creek Lakeview downed Harper Creek to clinch its first All-City championship since 1999 – Battle Creek Enquirer
10. Boys Golf: Third-year program Johannesburg-Lewiston won the North Woods Golf Conference tournament – Petoskey News-Review
Also of note …
Baseball: Saugatuck clinched the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore title with a sweep of Coloma – Holland Sentinel
Track & Field: The Hale boys and Rogers City girls won North Star League championship meet titles – Alpena News
Baseball: From Wednesday, Joe Kelley added to one of the best stories in the state this spring – after being cut from Division 1 No. 12 Rockford’s varsity a year ago, he set the school’s home run record this season and finished an Ottawa-Kent Conference Red outright title run with a 15th-inning round-tripper – Grand Rapids Press
Track & Field: From Wednesday, the Quincy girls and Concord boys won Big 8 league meet titles – Coldwater Daily Reporter Girls | Boys
Track & Field: From Wednesday, Ithaca’s boys and St. Louis’ girls (No. 10 in LPD3) locked up Tri-Valley Conference West meet championships – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Baseball: From Tuesday, Division 2 No. 7 Edwardsburg swept South Haven to lock up a fifth straight Wolverine Conference title – Niles Daily Star
Baseball: From Wednesday, New Lothrop and Chesaning will share the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference title after New Lothrop split with Durand – Owosso Argus-Press
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.)