Today In The MHSAA: 5/25/22
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 25, 2022
1. SOFTBALL Kaitlyn Pallozzi threw a no-hitter as Division 1 No. 6 Farmington Hills Mercy defeated Riverview Gabriel Richard 7-0 in the Detroit Catholic League Bishop championship game – Detroit News
2. TRACK & FIELD/BOYS GOLF Hunter Jones set three school records in leading Benzie Central’s boys – No. 5 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – to the Northwest Conference league meet title; the Kingsley girls also were meet champions, and LPD1 No. 2 Traverse City Central clinched the Big North Conference boys golf title – Traverse City Record-Eagle
3. SOFTBALL Division 3 No. 7 Schoolcraft swept Division 4 No. 10 Kalamazoo Christian to clinch the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship – WWMT
4. BASEBALL Division 1 top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary’s went ahead in the sixth inning on the way to defeating Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 2-1 in the Catholic League Bishop final – Oakland Press
5. BASEBALL Division 4 No. 16 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian scored the winning run in the seventh inning to get past Ludington 6-5 and claim the Lakes 8 Conference title – MuskegonSports.com
6. BOYS GOLF LPD4 No. 14 Hudson repeated as Lenawee County Athletic Association champion with a win at the league tournament – Adrian Daily Telegram
7. BASEBALL Reed City defeated and tied Fremont to lock up the Central State Activities Association Gold title – Big Rapids Pioneer
8. BOYS GOLF LPD2 No. 3 Chelsea shot a 308 to win the Southeastern Conference White Tournament – Chelsea Sun Times News
9. SOFTBALL Division 2 No. 6 Frankenmuth secured a repeat Tri-Valley Conference 8 title with a sweep of Alma – Saginaw News
10. BASEBALL Coldwater swept Jackson Lumen Christi to secure the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title – Coldwater Daily Reporter
Also of note …
BOYS GOLF Quincy finished second at the Big 8 Conference Tournament to earn a shared league title with Jonesville – Coldwater Daily Reporter
TRACK & FIELD The LPD3 No. 6 Onsted and Adrian Madison girls teams were among league champions crowned from the southeastern Lower Peninsula – Adrian Daily Telegram
BASEBALL Division 1 No. 18 Traverse City Central earned a share of the Big North Conference title with a sweep of Cadillac – MI Sports Now
TRACK & FIELD McBain’s girls clinched the Highland Conference title with a league meet win, with the boys championship still to be decided – Cadillac News
TRACK & FIELD The Midland Dow and Gladwin girls and LPD2 No. 7 Flint Powers Catholic and LPD3 top-ranked Clare boys earned league meet titles – Midland Daily News
TRACK & FIELD Saugatuck’s boys earned a Southwestern Athletic Conference league meet win – Holland Sentinel
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.)