Rockets Ready for Winter Playoffs

February 22, 2025
• Everything you need to know heading into the postseason.

Four Needham teams, boys and girls basketball and hockey, earned a spot in the MIAA Division 1 State Tournament this winter.

The first round of games kicks off this week, but the Rockets will only have one first-round matchup at home, as boys basketball and both hockey teams start their postseason on the road. 

Needham’s highest-ranked team, #13 girls basketball, will host #20 Andover in the first round on Thursday, Feb. 27. Head Coach Hannah Carroll led the team to an 11-9 record, though they lost momentum in their final two games, dropping both matches at the Norwell Invitational. Despite the late-season losses, the Rockets have proven themselves to be a tough matchup all season, playing strong defense while being able to get hot from behind the arc. The team averages 49.6 points a game while giving up just 43.4 to opponents. Though the team only has two seniors, Noa Brown and Callie McCarthy, the junior class is extremely talented and has been crucial to the team’s success. Hannah Levine and Annie Camozzi are forces offensively, while Dani Deroian shuts down teams defensively and forces plenty of turnovers. Eva Andrews is a menace on the boards, recording 24 against Brookline earlier in the season and finishing the regular season with two double-doubles. The girls will face a tough Andover team in the first round, who ended the season with a 14-6 record. The winner will advance to most likely face #4 Braintree, barring an upset in their first-round matchup.

Boys basketball squeezed into the playoffs for their 11th straight postseason with an upset win over BC High on Feb. 18. The team finished at 10-10 on the season, qualifying for a play-in game with their .500 record. It was an up-and-down season for the boys, who won against Weymouth to open the year but then lost four in a row. After winning two games, they dropped another three in a row before going on a five-game win streak in the middle of the season. But they lost three of their last five to close the regular season. The thing to know about this squad is that any player can lead the team in scoring on any given night. Ben Marino, Jeremy Gould and Max Goodrow have had their turns leading the Rockets, but don’t count out Foster Wilinski or Matthew Cloonan to have a big game. Plus, Sean Walker is a nice spark off the bench for Needham. The team scores an average of 52.9 points per game while giving up 50.2 to opposing offenses. They will have to beat #29 King Phillip Regional on the road on Tuesday, Feb. 25 to make it into the Round of 32. If they can pull off the upset, they will face #4 Central Catholic, who beat the Rockets 68-40 in their final regular season contest.

Moving over to hockey, the #26 ranked girls will face #7 Bishop Feehan in the first round on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The Rockets finished the regular season with a record of 10-9-1, but Needham’s offense has been strong this year with two players, senior Jill Peabody and freshman Cassie Ling, scoring 14 goals. Caitlin McNeill has been strong in net for the Rockets, with an 85% save percentage in her 19 starts, and Katelyn Birnbuam has been a facilitator, racking up 13 assists. But they have been prone to giving up goals, allowing teams to score five or more seven times this season. The Rockets will look to win their first playoff game since 2020 in this matchup, but it will be tough with the Shamrocks averaging almost four goals a game.

#21 boys hockey will travel to Attleboro on Tuesday, Feb. 25, where they will meet #12 Archbishop Williams in the round of 32. Matt Rutter led the team in scoring with 17 goals in 20 games. He was the only player with a double-digit goal total this season, but Will Saratella and Tommy Peabody added nine goals each for the Rockets. This team is physical and has made big hits on opponents all season. Plus, they have momentum heading into the playoffs, winning their last three games and scoring 15 goals in that span. They will aim to win their first playoff game since 2018.

Stay up to date on the Rockets’ playoff journey by following our X (formerly Twitter) page: @TNC_sports