By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Needham High School began the Fall I athletic season this past week, with athletes finally being granted an opportunity to play organized high school sports for the first time in nearly seven months.
Needham field hockey gears up

Pictured last season celebrating a shutout victory against Dover-Sherborn, Needham goaltender Cammy Foster (50) will be counted on once again in 2020, this time as a senior co-captain. Photo by Mike Flanagan.
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Needham High School varsity field hockey...
Is Needham’s Hauschka a fit for Patriots?

By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
The New England Patriots have figured out their next move at quarterback. Cam Newton (15-of-19, 155 yards, 15 rushes, 75 yards, two touchdowns) impressed in his Patriots debut on Sunday during the team's 21-11 season-opening win against the Miami Dolphins.
Bay State Conference updates COVID guidelines

By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Change to high school sports was inevitable when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. This fall, we will see sports such as soccer and field hockey have a completely different look as players and coaches will be required to wear masks at all times.
Needham’s Williams named Bentley AD

Needham resident Vaughn Williams, senior associate athletics director at Boston College, has been named the director of athletics at Bentley University, Vice President for Student Affairs J. Andrew Shepardson announced Monday morning in an email to the Bentley community. Williams will begin his new role in mid-September.
Williams, a University...
Needham’s Shuman makes PGA debut

By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Former Needham High School golf star and two-time state champion Jake Shuman made his PGA Tour debut on Thursday at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Shuman, who played collegiately at Duke University from 2014-2018, placed second in Monday’s qualifier...
Schwartz the answer for Needham MIBL

Nico Schwartz (11) fires home a pitch during his complete-game victory against Norwood on Saturday afternoon in Quincy. Photos by Mike Flanagan.
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Throughout the summer, scoring runs has not been an issue for Needham MIBL. Led by NHS...
Anderson homer leads Needham over Walpole

With the dry weather at Braintree High, dirt kicked up all over the field.
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The NBA is playing in a “bubble” inside of Disney World, Major League Baseball loses what seems like a game a week due to positive...
Braintree rallies to down Needham MIBL

Sam Gage (pictured) fires home a pitch during the top of the second inning on Friday night against Braintree. Photos by Mike Flanagan.
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Needham MIBL (3-10) returned home to face a powerful Braintree (10-3) squad on Friday night,...
Stephenson’s shutout gives Needham fourth win

Stephenson’s sidearm style flummoxes Westwood’s batters en route to a complete game shutout.
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
On Sunday night, the rain fell on Needham High’s baseball field, but not enough to warrant stopping or cancelling the game between Needham and Westwood. Unfortunately...
Rockets just keep swimming and diving

By Rachel Talcoff
Hometown Weekly Intern
This fall’s high school sports season is right around the corner, yet countless student-athletes and eager fans are left with uncertainty as to how the season will play out. Teams must prepare for whatever lies ahead while COVID-19 is spreading, making it particularly difficult for...
Late Canton rally halts Needham MIBL

Hunter Anderson (pictured) turns on a ball and drives a base hit into right field. Photo by Mike Flanagan.
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
There’s a reason why baseball does not have a time limit. Things can change from inning to inning, and...
Xaverian, Needham football making do together

Needham's Andrew Barnett towers over a pair of Xaverian defenders for a jump-ball on Tuesday during seven-on-sevens. Photo by Mike Flanagan.
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
It's still unknown whether or not high school football will be played this fall in Massachusetts. States...
Baseball returns to Needham with MIBL

Starting Pitcher Nico Schwartz (pictured) stares in and reads the signs from his catcher. Photos by Mike Flanagan.
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
After months of cancellations and postponements due to COVID-19, organized team sports finally returned to Needham this past week, thanks...
Needham’s MIBL team falls to 0-3

Good effort to run out this ground ball from Hunter Anderson, even in a game that wasn’t going Needham’s way.
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
With no American Legion baseball being played this year, the Massachusetts Independent Baseball League has stepped in to take...
NHS’ Tarlow named Coach of the Year

Needham High School's Lauren Tarlow was recently named the MIAA's Unified Track and Field Coach of the Year.
The news was announced by the Needham High School Athletics Twitter account on June 25.
All...
Needham’s Chaloff Coach of the Year

By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
It was an extremely special 2019 season for Needham High School girls volleyball. The Rockets absolutely dominated their way to an unbeaten 21-0 season and won the Division I state championship.
Junior outside hitter Karen Nie recorded 275 kills, 138...
Spotlighting Needham High lacrosse’s 2020 seniors

Pictured clearing a ball last season against Hingham, midfielder Matt Guagliano (27) is one of 10 Needham High School lacrosse seniors who robbed of their 2020 senior season due to COVID-19. Photo by Mike Flanagan.
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
In 2019, Needham...
Needham Assistant AD Jackson speaks up

By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
The last two weeks have represented an extremely difficult time for our country. It should go without saying that racism and hate have no place in our country. Sadly, the murders of George Floyd, Ahmad Arbery and Breonna Taylor have proven that hate and...
A tribute to senior athletes

By Maddie Gerber
Hometown Weekly Intern
Last spring, Needham High School’s girls’ softball team played its final game against Braintree, which was not only an undefeated team, but also the league champions. The Rockets, who hadn’t made the playoffs that year, were undoubtedly the underdogs, and knew this would be...