Today In The MHSAA: 5/21/21
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 21, 2021
1. Softball: No. 3 Howell downed No. 2 Hartland 1-0 to clinch the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Tournament championship – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
2. Baseball: Division 2 top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary’s downed Division 1 No. 18 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 6-5 to clinch the Detroit Catholic League Bishop title – Oakland Press
3. Softball: Division 3 honorable mention Negaunee downed Division 2 No. 4 Escanaba 7-3 to move to 27-0 this spring – Marquette Mining Journal
4. Girls Soccer: Division 3 No. 17 Essexville Garber scored a second-half goal to down No. 8 Freeland 1-0 and clinch the Tri-Valley Conference championship – WJRT
5. Girls Tennis: Top-ranked Traverse City St. Francis won all eight flights to claim a Regional title in Lower Peninsula Division 3, while runner-up Elk Rapids advanced to the Finals for the first time – Traverse City Record-Eagle
6. Softball: Both with sweeps, Division 1 honorable mention South Lyon and No. 7 South Lyon East finished with a shared Lakes Valley Conference title, while East also tied the state team single-season home run record with its 63rd of this spring – Oakland Press
7. Baseball: Division 3 top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett won the Detroit Catholic League Cardinal championship with a 2-1 walk-off win over Division 4 No. 2 Marine City Cardinal Mooney – Port Huron Times-Herald
8. Girls Tennis: No. 7 Holland West Ottawa locked up a third-straight Regional title, in LPD1 – Holland Sentinel
9. Softball: Division 4 No. 2 Unionville-Sebewaing swept Bad Axe to secure the Greater Thumb Conference West title – Huron Daily Tribune
10. Baseball: Utica downed Fraser 7-1 to clinch the Macomb Area Conference Blue title – Macomb Daily
Also of note …
Baseball: Zeeland East finished a sweep of Holland to earn a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green title – Holland Sentinel
Boys Golf: Gaylord St. Mary shot a 399 to clinch the overall Northwest Golf Conference championship – Petoskey News-Review
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.)