Today in the MHSAA: 10/5/20
October 5, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
With the calendar turned to October, many girls golf and boys tennis teams finished up league competition over the weekend, while Shepherd hosted teams from all over the cross country rankings.
1. Cross Country: Ten varsity teams won championships at the Shepherd Bluejay Invitational – the Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 10 Freeland, No. 2 Petoskey, No. 7 Cadillac, Kingsley and LPD4 No. 14 Maple City Glen Lake girls, and the Detroit Catholic Central, LPD1 No. 10 Traverse City Central, LPD2 No. 5 Yale, LPD3 No. 15 New Lothrop and LPD4 No. 10 Unionville-Sebewaing boys – Athletic.net
2. Boys Tennis: Zeeland West won the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green Tournament for the first time in program history, clinching the league title outright – Holland Sentinel
3. Boys Tennis: LPD3 No. 5 Chelsea was first and Grosse Ile second at the 74th Honor and Glory Tournament – Southgate News-Herald
4. Cross County: The St. Joseph girls and Berrien Springs boys won Berrien County Invitational championships – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
5. Girls Golf: St. Clair Shores Lakeview edged regular-season champion Romeo by five strokes to win the Macomb Area Conference White Tournament – Macomb Daily
6. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD2 No. 8 Dexter defeated LPD1 No. 10 Ann Arbor Huron 113-73 – Chelsea Sun Times News
7. Volleyball: Anna Smith went over 2,000 career kills as Division 4 No. 1 Mendon swept Battle Creek Pennfield, Athens and Battle Creek Harper Creek – JoeInsider.com
8. Boys Soccer: Holland Christian earned a 2-1 win over Hudsonville Unity Christian – Holland Sentinel
9. Cross Country: The LPD3 No. 12 LeRoy Pine River boys and Reed City girls won championships at Pine River’s Cecil Burch Memorial Invitational – Cadillac News
10. Cross Country: Clinton swept its home invitational races – Adrian Daily Telegram
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.)