Today in the MHSAA: 2/24/2020
February 24, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A championship-filled weekend saw Regional champs celebrated in wrestling, District winners hoist trophies in competitive cheer and league title earners rise in basketball, hockey and bowling.
1. Competitive Cheer: Allen Park finished first and Dearborn Divine Child in a power-packed Division 2 District – Southgate News-Herald
2. Boys Basketball: River Rouge downed Benton Harbor 58-52 in a matchup of title hopefuls in two divisions – MLive-Detroit
3. Boys Basketball: Mason Wojtusik went over 1,000 career points as Mount Pleasant defeated Saginaw 64-53 to clinch the Saginaw Valley League North title – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
4. Wrestling: Six champions led 12 Brighton wrestlers total to qualify for the Division 1 Individual Finals at Saturday’s Regional – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
5. Girls Basketball: Farmington Hills Mercy downed Bloomfield Hills Marian 51-40 to win the Detroit Catholic League Bishop championship – State Champs Sports Network
6. Girls Basketball: Ann Arbor Huron clinched the Southeastern Conference Red title with a 60-47 win over Ann Arbor Pioneer – We Love Ann Arbor
7. Hockey: Muskegon Mona Shores scored two third-period goals to get past Hudsonville 3-2 and clinch the Ottawa-Kent Conference Fischer championship – Local Sports Journal
8. Hockey: A big win over Lenawee United gave Dexter its second-straight Southeastern Conference White title – Chelsea Sun Times News
9. Bowling: The Traverse City Christian girls and Cadillac boys clinched Great Northwest High School Bowling Conference championships – Traverse City Record-Eagle
10. Girls Basketball: Byron claimed its first outright league title in this sport since 1990 with a 57-25 win over New Lothrop – Mid-Michigan Now
Also of note …
Basketball: The Big Bay de Noc girls and Kinross Maplewood Baptist boys won Northern Lights League Tournament championships – Escanaba Daily Press
Basketball: Reagan Rose set a Decatur scoring record against Hartford, and Marcellus’ Kaeler Stafne and Bloomingdale’s Tyler Starbuck both went over 1,000 career points in Marcellus’ win – WWMT
Girls Basketball: Kent City clinched the Central State Activities Association Silver title with a big win over Hesperia – Local Sports Journal
Girls Basketball: Flushing earned a share of the Flint Metro League Stripes title with a 45-20 win over Swartz Creek – Mid-Michigan Now
Girls Basketball: Deckerville clinched a share of the North Central Thumb League Stars title with a big win over Mayville – Huron Daily Tribune
Hockey: Jackson Lumen Christi clinched its league title with a 2-0 win over Mattawan – Jackson Citizen Patriot
Boys Basketball: Owen Franklin went over 1,000 career points for Oscoda in its win over Hale – WBKB
Girls Basketball: Negaunee defeated Ishpeming Westwood 43-33, and Westwood’s Tessa Leece went over 1,000 career points – Marquette Mining Journal
Girls Basketball: Algonac fell to Croswell-Lexington, but Algonac’s Emily Nugent went over 1,000 career points – Port Huron Times-Herald
Girls Basketball: From Thursday, Mackinaw City downed Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian to clinch a second-straight Northern Lakes Conference title – Petoskey News-Review
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.)