Grosse Pointe — Grosse Pointe South’s football team wouldn’t let the rough weather stop them from its season-opening practice.
With Monday set as the opening date for all Michigan high schools to begin practice, teams all across the state wasted no time preparing for the season. South, in particular, brought the energy and excitement to its first training session, and the team is well ready for the year to begin with a change of scenery.
“(The team) is very, very ready,” South head coach Chad Hepner said. “Mostly, they’re excited to put the pads on and start banging a little bit here on Wednesday. I think the big thing that we’re most excited about is playing in the MAC Red, and getting moved up to that division.”
South is coming off of a strong 2025 season, in which it finished 9-2 and sat atop of the MAC White. The team made it to the district finals in the Division 2 state playoffs before falling to St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 24-7.
The successful season pushed South to move up into the MAC Red, joining the likes of Clinton Township Chippewa Valley and Romeo. The promotion raises the difficulty, but that’s what’s pushing the team ahead of the season.
“We know it’s going to be a challenge,” Hepner said. “But you know we just see it as a great challenge for us to prepare ourselves for hopefully a good playoff run.”
Numerous players were warming up and stretching on the field well before the 9 a.m. start time, tossing balls to each other and catching up right where they left off from last year. To Hepner, this unity from the team comes from a similar desire for the season: to push into the playoffs.
“Expectations are the same every year, you know. We want to win,” Hepner said. “We want to win our home games, we want to beat our rival, we want to try to win our league, no matter what league it is that we’re in. If we do those things, we probably have done enough to qualify for the playoffs.”
South has a number of returning talents on the team that are building off of a strong year last season. One of which is senior quarterback Sam Rouleau.
Rouleau, a Central Michigan commit, posted 1,259 passing yards and 875 rushing yards last season and cemented himself as one of the premier dual-threat quarterbacks in the state. The three-star prospect also added 18 total touchdowns, eight of which were in the air.
“He’s a special kid,” Hepner said. “He proved that last year with his athleticism. His quarterback mechanics and skills have improved even another step from last year, so you know he’s a kid that’s going to give us a chance to win every game.”
The team is also returning the likes of senior running back Charlie Michelotti and senior wide receivers Trey Grabowski and Kooper Richards on offense, while senior linebacker Throop Linnell will be the centerpiece of a younger defensive unit.
Doug Doty is a freelance writer.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Grosse Pointe South football ‘ready’ for new season, division jump
Reporting by Doug Doty, Special to The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Doug Doty, Special to The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
