Today in the MHSAA: 9/29/23
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 29, 2023
1. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Grand Haven – No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – won a key Ottawa-Kent Conference Red dual over No. 2 Jenison, 163-152 – Grand Haven Tribune
2. BOYS SOCCER Rochester Hills Stoney Creek shook up Oakland Activities Association White soccer with a 2-1 win over Royal Oak – Oakland Press
3. BOYS SOCCER Bloomfield Hills moved into first place in the OAA White with its 4-1 win over Farmington, combined with the Royal Oak loss – Hometown Life
4. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD2 No. 5 Pinckney boys and Chelsea girls won Southeastern Conference White jamborees, and Chelsea’s Connell Alford won a high-caliber race with Pinckney’s Evan Loughridge – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
5. VOLLEYBALL Watervliet swept Bridgeman to claim the top spot alone in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore standings – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
6. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 No. 7 Lake City’s MacKenzie Bisballe went over both 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career assists during her team’s sweep of Evart – Cadillac News
7. BOYS SOCCER Coldwater earned coach Ken Delaney his 200th win, 4-0 over Battle Creek Harper Creek – Coldwater Daily Reporter
8. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 No. 6 Temperance Bedford split the first two sets before defeating Dexter in four – Monroe News
9. VOLLEYBALL Division 2 honorable mention Otsego handed Sturgis its first Wolverine Conference defeat, sweeping after winning the first two sets both by two points – Sturgis Journal
10. VOLLEYBALL Carrollton won the second, third and fifth sets to get past Millington and improve to 18-2-3 – Saginaw News
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.)