GRYPHON BOYS SOCCER HEATING UP
The Greenhills boys soccer team is halfway through this season’s conference matchups and starting to play its best soccer. On September 3, the Gryphons bested 2023 Catholic High School League (CHSL) champion Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep 2-1. Two days later, the team earned a 0-0 tie against rival Father Gabriel Richard (FGR), then followed it up with a 2-2 draw with top-ranked and previously undefeated Lutheran High North.
The season got off to a slower start than the Gryphons would have liked, but that’s not surprising for such a young team. Ten of the 11 starters from Greenhills’ 2022 team that went to the state finals have graduated, and the only remaining starter from that season is senior captain Etienne Rouillard. But the team is putting in the work, finding its identity, and it is coming into its own.
“The lack of experience showed in the early performances when we played very well in some games and dropped the level in other games,” said head coach Lucian Popescu. “Our focus the next couple of weeks is on bringing consistency to our performance and solidifying a team system and structure that will help that.”
The Gryphons play in one of the most competitive divisions of the CHSL, and Popescu says the team “will not play an easy game all the way to the D3 playoffs.” Its upperclassmen have brought intensity and physicality, but to win games the team is looking to its freshmen and sophomores to step up and contribute—and they’re rising to the occasion.
“We started seven underclassmen in our game against FGR, which is not something we often do,” said assistant coach Greg Huntoon ’07. “Our captains are doing a great job helping those underclassmen step up—challenging them to be more than good soccer players, but to ask themselves, ‘What can you do to provide for the team and make us as competitive as possible?’ We’re all rallying around the same goal.”
That goal is to continually improve, and the team knows that doing so will result in wins. But wins and losses aren’t the only measures of success. Greenhills coaches are focused on developing all aspects of their players. Yes, that includes soccer skills and athletic ability, but also character, work ethic, resilience, and opportunities to lead.
“We focus every day during training to improve on the four pillars of the game: technical, physical, tactical, and mental, “ said Popescu. “Having fun while playing the beautiful game in a very competitive environment is a privilege for all the team members, players, and staff.”
Leading up to the CHSL championship in October, the Gryphons will match up against St. Mary’s Prep, Cranbrook, FGR, and Divine Child—all sure to be challenging games. But the Greenhills team has already taken on these schools once this season. The players know what to expect, and they know they can compete.
“Of course, we haven’t arrived yet, there is a long way to go, but the progress is evident,” said Popescu. “Playing in an upper division of the CHSL requires us to align our technical, physical, tactical, and mental standards to our opponents, to be well-prepared for every game, and to bring our best performance day in and day out.”
