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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
The Needham and Walpole varsity boys soccer teams met at Bird Middle School in Walpole on Tuesday afternoon, September 20, to play their lone Bay State Conference meeting of 2016, with the game ending in a hard-fought 2-2 draw.
Tuesday’s tilt was everything the average soccer fan could ask for as both the Rockets and the Rebels each saw offensive firepower along with tight defensive play and clutch goalkeeping.
Tyler James and Kyle Brady were all over the field for the Rockets throughout the match’s entirety, as the duo accumulated two shots on net, one goal, and James just missed netting another one late in the first half that would have put Needham up at the break.
Needham (3-0-4) was led by the play of their goalkeeper, Andrew McNally (seven saves) and midfielder David Weisenbach, whose late goal to knot the game at two preserved the tie for the Rockets and kept them unbeaten.
Walpole (3-0-2), meanwhile was led by the play of goalkeeper Devin Moore (nine saves) and forward Justin Burns, whose goal and assist guided the Rebels to a late 2-1 lead before the Rockets were able to tie things up and muster a point out of the contest.
A valiant effort by both sides ended with both teams being able to show at least something in the standings for their hard work with a point a piece.
The Rebels will head to Weymouth on Thursday, September 29 while Needham will host Milton.
