Today in the MHSAA: 8/23/16
August 23, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The first full week of this fall season teed off Monday with some especially impressive performances coming on golf courses in Grayling and Allendale.
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.
Cross Country
Grand Haven’s girls and boys teams swept the Muskegon Orchard View Invitational, the girls taking 10 of the top 30 places and the boys winning by 37 points – Grand Haven Tribune
Girls Golf
Midland Dow shot a 345 to edge St. Joseph by two strokes and win the Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central Invitational at Grand Valley State University; Dow was second and St. Joseph fifth at last season’s Lower Peninsula Division 2 Final – Midland Daily News
Traverse City West set a team scoring record of 309 and Anika Dy set a Graying Country Club course record of 65 as the Titans won the Grayling Invitational – Traverse City Record-Eagle – Charlevoix finished second, claiming the first trophy of its three-year girls golf program history – Petoskey News-Review
Boys Soccer
Jake de Boer scored both Auburn Hills Avondale goals as his team held off Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 2-1 – Oakland Press
Girls Tennis
Gladstone, which scored one point at last season’s Upper Peninsula Division 1 Finals, downed reigning runner-up Escanaba 5-3 – Escanaba Daily 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.)