Rockets Roundup: A Final Four Trifecta
November 13, 2023
• Needham Football, Girls Volleyball and Boys Soccer advance to the MIAA Division one Final Four.
This weekend marked the last home game to be played at Memorial Field for the Rockets until 2024. However, it did not close the chapter on this exciting fall season, with three teams still in pursuit of that illusive State Championship. Football, Girls Volleyball and Boys Soccer will all compete this week for a spot in a Division 1 Title opportunity.
Prior to this year, Needham Football has not made the post season since 2019. Their last appearance in a State Semi-final came in 2011. This 2023 squad has put the whole state on notice, including their most recent win against Methuen in the Elite 8, grinding out the 42-24 victory over the #6 Rangers.
They will travel to Brockton High School on Friday, November 17th for their toughest battle yet, going up against #2 Xaverian in the Final Four. Kick off at 6:00pm. A win secures a spot in the D1 Superbowl at Gillete Stadium.
This is familiar territory for the Girls Volleyball team. In 2021 the girls won their 2nd straight State Championship with now captains, Samantha Tam and Izzy Streeper, having huge parts in that success. After defeating #13 Attleboro in the Elite 8, Girls Volleyball secured their spot in the Final Four, the 3rd appearance in 4 years. The kicker, they will have to face the team they took down in that 2021 title game, and a team they know very, very well – Newton North.
The tigers come into this matchup as the defending champs and the #1 ranked team in the state. The Bay State Conference foe will go at it for another chapter in their rivalry on Wednesday, November 15th at Newton South High School, 6:00pm start time.
Boys Soccer is the last team to secure their spot, winning 3-0 over #10 Franklin on Saturday, November 11th. Both teams went into that game not allowing a goal throughout the post season, and in the first 35 seconds, that would change after Senior Captain Brendan Woodman would chest in a goal off a corner.
Similar to Girls Volleyball, Boys Soccer is not new to this scene. They have made it to the State Championship twice since 2019, however have fallen short each time. Their last title came back in 2014. The boys will have a chance to make back to back appearances on Tuesday, November 14th when they take on #11 Winchester in the D1 Final Four. Game is set for a 6:30pm tip off, at the Manning Bowl in Lynn.
Before you take in this week’s action, Sports Producer, Kristen Connors takes you through all the highs in the MIAA Elite 8 in this week’s edition of Rockets Round up:
