By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
The last time Needham High School boys varsity soccer took to the pitch for a postseason contest was November 23, 2019 in the state championship game. Following a dominant run through the Division I South sectionals that averaged four goals scored per game, followed by a 2-1 overtime win against Lincoln-Sudbury in the state semifinals, Needham’s magical march came to a bitter end with a 2-0 defeat to Longmeadow.
Following a year off from postseason play due to COVID, the Rockets return to the pitch this fall motivated to make another deep tournament run and take care of some unfinished business. Leading Needham will be two senior co-captains in center defensive midfielder Marcus Trabucco and senior left back Mac Turner.
Asked for his team’s general goals and motivators entering the 2021 season, Trabucco made it clear that he and his teammates are thinking big.
“Our goals and expectations we have for our team this year are to win the Bay State [Conference], make the playoffs and go as far as the state finals and ultimately win it,” said Trabucco. “The state tournament being a go for this year creates a huge level of excitement, as most of us know where we were two years ago. We want to recreate that and even go the extra mile and win the final game.”
Along with Trabucco and Turner, the Rockets return several other key players including senior center-midfielder Peter Spielmann, junior center attack/midfielder Dilin Meloni and senior striker Mitch Wilson. Trabucco says it is likely that one or two more members of the team will be named captain before the start of the season.
Needham will open the 2021 season on September 9 at home against Brookline at 4 p.m.
For funny and incisive sports analysis as well as video highlights of games, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter and Instagram handles @flano0.
