By Avonlea Cummings
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
As winter descends upon Needham High School, the campus is abuzz with excitement as students and athletes prepare for the highly anticipated winter sports season. Featuring a diverse array of offerings, including boys' swim team, boys' and girls' hockey, wrestling, skiing, boys and girls indoor track, gymnastics, and boys' and girls' basketball, the school is poised for a season of intense competition and bustling evenings filled with fantastic sporting events.
The Rockets' boys swim team is set to make a splash this year, showcasing their commitment to technique and endurance in their first meet against Xaverian Brothers High on December 8th at 7 PM. The boys' team concluded the 2022-2023 season with a 2-2 record.
Preseason activities have kicked off for various teams, including the boys' and girls' hockey teams. The hockey rinks resound with the sounds of skates slicing through the ice as both teams gear up for an action-packed season. The boys' team concluded last year with an 11-7-2 record, while the girls closed their season with a 6-10-3 record. As players hone their skills in rigorous practices, both teams are focused on their first competitions. The boys will face Milton High on Wednesday, December 13th, at the Babson College rink, with a puck drop at 6:45 PM. The girls will play against King Philip Regional High on December 9th at Foxboro Sports Center rink two, with the puck dropping at 4 PM.
The indoor track teams are lacing up their shoes, gearing up for the season and set to compete against Braintree High on December 14th at 4:30 PM. The Raiders aim to showcase their agility and strength on the track, striving to set new records in their pursuit of excellence.
The hardwood courts reverberate with the sounds of bouncing basketballs and fast-paced sneakers as the boys' and girls' basketball teams dribble into the season. Emphasizing skill development and strategic play, both teams aim for success. The boys, who secured fifth place in the MIAA Division I rankings last year with a 19-2 record, are gearing up for another outstanding season. The girls, concluding last year with an 8-11 record and reaching the round of 32 in playoffs, kick off their season on December 12th at 6:30 PM at Milton High, while the boys host Milton High at the same date and time.
Wrestling and gymnastics return this season, providing the Needham community with a variety of sporting events to support. The wrestling team, concluding the previous season with a 4-2 record, begins the 2023-2024 season on December 13th by hosting Newton North, starting at 6:30 PM. Gymnastics, concluding the previous season with a 3-1 record, prepares for winter competition, with their first meet against Braintree High at the Needham High B gym on January 9th.
Skiers representing the Rockets will hit the slopes on January 3rd at 6:30 PM at Blue Hill Area Ski Slope.
As the winter sports season kicks off, parents, students, and faculty gear up to fill the stands and cheer for their Rockets. Stay tuned for a winter season filled with highlights of the Rockets in action.
