Today in the MHSAA: 4/18/19
April 18, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A meeting of top girls tennis teams from the Lower Peninsula highlighted a Wednesday that also saw state-ranked foes meet on the baseball diamond as well.
1. Girls Tennis: Midland Dow – No. 6 in LP Division 1 – and LPD2 No. 2 Birmingham Seaholm tied for first at the former’s home quad, ahead of LPD2 No. 9 Traverse City Central and No. 7 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central – Midland Daily News
2. Baseball: Division 2 No. 13 Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard and Division 3 top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett split a doubleheader – State Champs Sports Network
3. Boys Golf: Holland West Ottawa shot a 326 to win the annual Wooden Shoe Invitational – Holland Sentinel
4. Softball: Division 2 No. 6 Spring Lake swept Sparta to run its Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue winning streak to 80 games – Local Sports Journal
5. Softball: Peighton Root’s two-run walk-off homer pushed Division 2 honorable mention Chelsea past Saline 6-5 – Chelsea Sun Times News
6. Boys Golf: Durand finished first and New Lothrop second at the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference preseason tournament – Owosso Argus-Press
7. Girls Soccer: For the first time in at least a decade, Traverse City St. Francis downed Elk Rapids – Traverse City Record-Eagle
8. Softball: Karlie Patron tossed her first career no-hitter as Ishpeming Westwood shut out Manistique – Escanaba Daily Press
9. Baseball: Kyle Richey tossed a no-hitter as Trenton downed Allen Park – Southgate News-Herald
10. Track & Field: East Kentwood swept Grand Haven, but both results were decided by 25 or fewer points – Grand Haven Tribune
Also of note …
Girls Lacrosse: Maddy Champagne scored an MHSAA-record 15 goals in Livonia Stevenson’s 20-5 win over Royal Oak – Observer & Eccentric
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.)