Today in the MHSAA: 5/19/21
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 19, 2021
Softball: Division 4 top-ranked Holton swept Hesperia to clinch the Central State Activities Association Silver championship, its sixth-straight league title – Local Sports Journal
2. Baseball: Frankenmuth clinched a share of the Tri-Valley Conference East championship with a split against Division 2 No. 2 Bay City John Glenn – WJRT
3. Track & Field: Macomb Dakota continued its spring surge sweeping Macomb Area Conference Red girls and boys championship meets; Dakota’s girls are ranked No. 6 in Lower Peninsula Division 1, and the boys are No. 7 – Macomb Daily Girls | Boys
4. Girls Soccer: Division 1 No. 11 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central avenged an earlier loss to No. 2 Forest Hills Northern in the Ottawa-Kent Conference White semifinals – Grand Rapids Press
5. Softball: Breckenridge swept Vestaburg to secure a share of the Mid-State Activities Conference championship – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
6. Girls Soccer: Division 2 No. 5 Haslett downed Division 3 No. 4 Lansing Catholic 4-1 to earn a spot in the Capital Area Activities Conference Gold Cup championship game – Lansing State Journal
7. Boys Golf: Norway continued its strong spring with a 320 to win the Negaunee Invitational – Iron Mountain Daily News
8. Baseball: Hunter Kanouse struck out 14 of 18 hitters faced in a perfect game win for LeRoy Pine River over McBain – Big Rapids News
9. Girls Tennis: North Muskegon – No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 4 – improved to 16-5-1 with wins over Niles Brandywine and No. 10 Clarkston Everest Collegiate – Local Sports Journal
10. Baseball: Coldwater improved to 19-5 with a sweep of Division 3 No. 15 Jackson Lumen Christi – Coldwater Daily Reporter
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.)