Today In The MHSAA: 4/26/21
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 26, 2021
This spring weekend felt more like winter in many places across the state but was filled with accomplishments including school and tournament records and first-time championships.
1. Boys Golf: Traverse City Central won its first TC Tee Off since 2004 with a 302 on the second day of the tournament – Traverse City Record-Eagle
2. Girls Track & Field: Howell won its Highland Games Invitational thanks in part to Mackenzie Wright’s school record in the 3,200 – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
3. Boys Golf: Haslett won the Division 1 team title and Williamston’s Wyatt Vogel was the top individual with a tournament record 68 at the annual Dick’s Sporting Goods Invitational – Owosso Argus-Press
4. Softball: Essexville Garber won its first Bay County championship with a 7-2 win over Bay City Western – Bay City Times
5. Track & Field: Benzie Central swept championships at Cadillac’s Gary Rathbun Invitational with Hunter Jones breaking the boys school 3,200 record – Benzie Record Patriot
6. Baseball: Division 1 No. 11 Macomb Dakota followed up a Thursday loss to No. 16 Romeo with a 9-6 win in Friday’s rematch – Macomb Daily
7. Boys Track & Field: Harbor Springs’ Evan Schwab broke a 50-year-old school long jump record at the Mancelona Invitational – Petoskey News-Review
8. Softball: Escanaba added wins over Macomb Dakota and Frankenmuth to a downstate trip that also saw losses to Hartland and Farmington Hills Mercy – Escanaba Daily Press
9. Boys Lacrosse: Landon Taylor’s goal with 10 seconds to play gave Muskegon Mona Shores a 14-13 win over Reeths-Puffer – Local Sports Journal
10. Baseball: Division 3 No. 15 Traverse City St. Francis won its tournament with a walk-off 8-7 win over Evart in the finale – 9&10 News
Also of note …
Girls Basketball: After a season at Flint Carman-Ainsworth, former Flint Northern star and coach Tonya Edwards is headed back to the WNBA as an assistant coach for the Chicago Sky – Flint Journal
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.)