Today in the MHSAA: 4/14/25
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 14, 2025
1. SOFTBALL Division 2 honorable mention Essexville Garber clinched its fifth-straight Bay County Championship title with a 10-7 win over Bay City Western – Bay City Times
2. BASEBALL Division 1 No. 14 Saline swept No. 8 South Lyon 5-1 and 9-3 – Chelsea Sun Times News
3. BASEBALL Midland Dow downed Division 2 No. 8 Flint Powers Catholic 9-4 in 13 innings – Midland Daily News
4. BASEBALL Division 1 No. 2 Bay City Western downed John Glenn 9-0 to became the first three-peat winner in Bay County Championship baseball history – Bay City Times
5. SOFTBALL Division 2 No. 10 Frankenmuth won the first game 10-0, but Birch Run won the second 13-11 – WNEM
6. TRACK & FIELD Addison’s Molly Brown was the star of the Napoleon Invitational with four individual championships – Jackson Citizen Patriot
7. GIRLS SOCCER Division 3 No. 13 Essexville Garber repeated as Bay County champion with a 1-0 win over John Glenn – Bay City Times
8. GIRLS SOCCER Utica Ford and Division 3 No. 4 Warren Regina played to a 1-1 draw – Macomb Daily
9. GIRLS TENNIS Traverse City St. Francis – No. 3 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – dominated the Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett quad with wins over the host, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central and Macomb L’Anse Creuse North – Traverse City Record-Eagle
10. GIRLS LACROSSE Troy Athens came back after trailing early to get past United Farmington 10-9 – Oakland 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.)