Today in the MHSAA: 11/6/17
November 6, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Today's Top 10
1. Girls Cross Country: Lansing Catholic’s Olivia Theis ran the fastest time in MHSAA Lower Peninsula Finals 5K history to lead the Cougars to the Division 2 title, their first championship, while Hart also won its first MHSAA title, Troy its first in more than 20 years and Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart its third straight – Second Half
2. Boys Cross Country: Chelsea and Hanover-Horton won their first MHSAA boys cross country championships, while Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart claimed its first in 40 years and Ann Arbor Pioneer swept the team and individual titles in Division 1 – Second Half
3. Boys Soccer: Detroit Catholic Central, Holland and Ann Arbor Greenhills won first MHSAA titles in boys soccer Saturday, while Flint Powers Catholic avenged a 2016 Finals loss to also raise a trophy – Second Half
4. Girls Swimming & Diving: Lower Peninsula Division 1 top-ranked Saline set three Southeastern Conference Red meet records in winning the team title ahead of No. 10 Ann Arbor Huron and No. 3 Ann Arbor Skyline – Saline Post
5. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD1 No. 7 Northville, unranked Novi and No. 6 Brighton took the top three places at the Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship meet – Observer & Eccentric
6. Girls Swimming & Diving: LPD2 honorable mention Midland Dow capped an undefeated regular season with a 12th straight Saginaw Valley League meet championship – Midland Daily News
7. Volleyball: Warren Woods-Tower swept Warren Mott to claim its first Class A District title in volleyball – Macomb Daily
8. Volleyball: Pellston won a District title for the 11th consecutive season, downing Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian in Class D – Petoskey News-Review
9. Girls Swimming & Diving: The Traverse City co-op with athletes from Central, West and St. Francis saw 51 personal records set over two days in winning the Coastal Swim Conference championship – Traverse City Record-Eagle
10. Volleyball: In their fourth meeting this season, Class A honorable mention Richland Gull Lake held off Battle Creek Lakeview in five sets to claim a District title – Battle Creek Enquirer
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.)