Today in the MHSAA: 9/17/18
September 17, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
1. Cross Country: Northville’s girls and Hart’s Adelyn Ackley, and Brighton’s boys and Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Nick Foster won the “Elite” races against some of the state’s top competition at the Spartan Invitational in East Lansing; Northville’s girls are No. 1 and Brighton’s boys No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – Athletic.net
2. Girls Golf: LPD1 No. 1 Northville shot a 306 and Traverse City West’s Anika Dy carded a 66 to claim championships at the prestigious Top 50 Invitational at Battle Creek’s Bedford Valley – Observer & Eccentric
3. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 2 Bronson edged Division 1 No. 4 Battle Creek Lakeview in the final to win the Portage Northern Invitational – Coldwater Daily Reporter
4. Volleyball: In a matchup of Division 2 honorable mentions, Hamilton downed Cadillac in the final of the latter’s invitational – Holland Sentinel
5. Cross Country: The Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, Berkley and Goodrich girls and Richland Gull Lake boys were among winners in the closest races of the Holly Invitational – Athletic.net
6. Cross Country: The Fremont and Bear Lake/Onekama boys (LPD4 No. 14) and Ludington and Frankfort girls won championships at the Ludington Invitational – Athletic.net
7. Volleyball: Adrian Madison finished 6-0 in winning the Onsted Invitational title – Adrian Daily Telegram
8. Volleyball: Morley Stanwood swept Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in the final of the Big Rapids Crossroads Invitational – Big Rapids News
9. Boys Soccer: Adrian claimed its invitational championship with a 4-2 win over Clinton in the final – Adrian Daily Telegram
10. Volleyball: Niles Brandywine finished a perfect run at the New Buffalo Invitational by defeating the host in the final – Niles Daily Star
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.)