Needham's U8 Gold summer team won the U8 EMass Friendship Cup Championship with a 4-3 win over Milton on August 6. The team finished the season 17-0, and captured the Foxboro Friendship League championship on August 4 with a 4-0 win over a tough, previously-unbeaten Raynham team. Milton won the Braintree Friendship League title, setting up the EMass Friendship Cup Championship game.
According to league director Stew Bayuck, this was Needham's first Friendship League and Friendship Cup title in the 35 years of the league's existence. The Friendship U8 League has 62 teams from Metro West and Southeastern Massachusetts. Representing Needham's U8 Gold team are Zachary Baum, Lukas Berner, Emmet Bradbury, Nicholas Buckley, Jonathan Francescone, Tyler Hesser, William Lavelle, Matthew Mullaney, Conor O'Brien, Colin O'Donnell, Braden Place, Cam Ritchie, Joey Saratella, and Mason Wright.
The team’s coaches: Kevin Lavelle, Barry Mullaney, Calvin Place, Victor Saratella, Tom O'Donnell, Bob Bradbury, and Mark Francescone.
