Today in the MHSAA: 9/6/17
September 6, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Today's Top 10
1. Volleyball: Kingsley moved to 17-0-1 this season with a three-set win over Frankfort – Traverse City Record-Eagle
2. Girls Swimming & Diving: Ann Arbor Huron edged South Lyon 98-88 in a matchup of honorable mention teams in the Lower Peninsula Division 1 rankings – Ann Arbor News
3. Boys Soccer: Battle Creek Lakeview salvaged a 3-3 tie with Stevensville Lakeshore with a last-minute goal – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
4. Volleyball: Emily Myler had 15 kills as Gaylord St. Mary rallied to win its league opener over Johannesburg-Lewiston – Gaylord Herald Times
5. Boys Soccer: Hillsdale moved to 4-0 this fall with an 8-0 win over Blissfield – Hillsdale Daily News
6. Boys Soccer: Macomb Lutheran North scored in the 76th minute to hang on to a 3-3 tie with Ann Arbor Greenhills – Macomb Daily
7. Girls Cross Country: Reigning league champion Remus Chippewa Hills remained ahead of the pack in winning the first of this fall’s Central State Activities Association Gold jamborees – Big Rapids News
8. Boys Soccer: White Lake Lakeland earned an important win in the new Lakes Valley Conference, moving to 5-1 overall by downing Walled Lake Western 1-0 – Oakland Press
9. Volleyball: Leland, ranked No. 2 in Class D, is on its way to contending for another title and shut out Buckley on Tuesday – UpNorthLive 7&4
10. Volleyball: Charlevoix hopes it found a winning stride with a three-set sweep of Harbor Springs – 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.)