Today in the MHSAA: 2/26/18
February 26, 2018
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. Wrestling: Lowell downed Gaylord to tie the record for most consecutive Team Finals championships with its fifth straight, while Detroit Catholic Central shut out Brighton, Dundee edged Richmond and Hudson repeated Saturday at Wings Events Center. All four entered the postseason ranked No. 1 in their respective divisions – Second Half
2. Competitive Cheer: No. 2 Sanford Meridian Early College edged top-ranked Farwell by three points to claim its second Division 4 Regional title in three seasons – Midland Daily News
3. Boys Swimming & Diving: Lower Peninsula Division 1 honorable mention Novi upset No. 5 Northville by just 20 points to claim its second straight Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship – Observer & Eccentric
4. Boys Basketball: Detroit U-D Jesuit came back from six down in the fourth quarter to win its sixth straight Catholic League A-B championship with a 64-55 win over Warren DeLaSalle – Detroit Free Press
5. Girls & Boys Bowling: The Division 1 No. 5 Brownstown Woodhaven girls and Division 2 No. 5 New Boston Huron boys repeated as Regional champions – Southgate News Herald
6. Boys Bowling: The No. 7 Sturgis boys edged No. 4 Battle Creek Pennfield to claim a Division 2 Regional title – Sturgis Journal
7. Girls Bowling: Unranked Muskegon Mona Shores won the Division 2 Regional at Sherman Lanes by more than 300 pins – Local Sports Journal
8. Boys Swimming & Diving: Allen Park and Gibraltar Carlson tied for first at the Downriver League meet, giving Allen Park the overall league title – Southgate News Herald
9. Hockey: Lake Orion came back during the third period to down Rochester Hills Stoney Creek 3-2 and claim a second straight Oakland Activities Association Red title – Oakland Press
10. Boys Basketball: Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood claimed its first Catholic League tournament title with a 52-36 win over Madison Heights Bishop Foley – Observer & Eccentric
Also of note …
Boys Basketball: Coldwater needed overtime but finished a comeback win over Hastings 61-54 to earn the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title – Coldwater Daily Reporter
Boys Basketball: Undefeated Unionville-Sebewaing claimed a share of the Greater Thumb Conference West title with a 51-35 win over Elkton-Pigeon-Bayport Laker – Huron Daily Tribune
Boys Basketball: Bear Lake clinched a share of the West Michigan D League championship with a win over Pentwater – Manistee News Advocate
Boys Swimming & Diving: Ludington clinched the Coastal Conference championship – Ludington Daily News
Hockey: Holland West Ottawa earned a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Tier 2 title with a 6-5 win over Byron Center – Holland Sentinel
Boys Bowling: Scottville Mason County Central freshman Michael Lammi won a Division 4 Regional singles championship – Ludington Daily News
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.)