Today in the MHSAA: 10/14/20
October 14, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Manistee, Kingsley and Traverse City Central celebrated league championships Tuesday, and Ubly has a new volleyball record holder.
1. Cross Country: Manistee swept Lakes 8 Athletic Conference finale wins, the girls earning their first league title in the sport – Manistee News Advocate
2. Volleyball: Kingsley earned a share of the Northwest Conference championship with a five-set win over Division 4 No. 2 Leland – Traverse City Record-Eagle
3. Cross Country: Traverse City Central swept Big North Conference championship races; Central’s girls are No. 1 and boys are No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – Traverse City Record-Eagle
4. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD1 honorable mention Zeeland earned an impressive win over LPD3 No. 4 Hamilton, 103.5-82.5 – Holland Sentinel
5. Volleyball: Lindsey Guza set an Ubly record with 34 kills in her team’s four-set win over Capac; Ubly is an honorable mention in Division 4 – Huron Daily News
6. Volleyball: Fraser remained unbeaten in league play with a five-set win over Utica – Macomb Daily
7. Volleyball: Division 2 No. 5 Montague held onto its share of first in the West Michigan Conference with a sweep of Whitehall – Local Sports Journal
8. Volleyball: Constantine held onto its share of first in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley with a five-set win over Kalamazoo Christian – JoeInsider.com
9. Cross Country: Hanover-Horton swept Cascades Conference three-team races; Hanover-Horton’s boys are No. 8 in LPD3 – JTV
10. Volleyball: Escanaba returned to the court after two weeks and swept Stephenson – 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.)