By Meghan Foley
Hometown Weekly Staff
Last week was the first week of playoffs, with six Needham teams qualifying.
The boys’ volleyball team has earned the 1st seed in the playoffs after a 17–4 season. They beat 32nd-seeded Quincy 3 sets to 0 on the 30th and will have played their second match on Tuesday, June 2nd, against 16th-seeded North Andover. The winner will face the winner of Lowell (8th seed) vs. Cambridge Rindge & Latin (9th) with the hopes of advancing to the semifinals.
Last year the 3rd-seeded Rockets made it to the finals where they fell to 1st-seeded Brookline 3–1. The two already played each other twice during the regular season, with Brookline winning the first 3–2 and Needham taking the second 3–0, giving Brookline the second of their only two losses of the season. Brookline is the 2nd-seeded team this year and if the two do meet again during the postseason it would be in the finals.
As the team began the playoffs, Head Coach Dave Powell said: “I love how this group competes and we are just taking this whole thing one moment at a time and enjoying everyday together.”
Rockets’ softball earned the 11th seed with a 14–2 record. They will have played their first postseason game on Monday, hosting 22nd-seeded Methuen. The winner will go on to face the winner of Bridgewater-Raynham Regional (6th) vs. Woburn Memorial (27th). Last year, the Rockets were the 13th seed and were knocked out by 4th-seeded Attleboro in the second round. Attleboro is the 3rd seed this year and it is possible for the Rockets to face them in the final eight.
The baseball team did not qualify for their postseason, just missing the cutoff as the 39th seed with a 5–14 record.
The girls’ lacrosse team is the 24th seed with a 6–12 record. On the 27th, they were knocked out by 9th-seeded Lincoln-Sudbury in a 13–7 game in the final 32. Last year they made it to the final 16, where the 15th-seeded Rockets were knocked out by 2nd-seeded Wellesley. This year Wellesley is the 7th seed with a 12–6 record.
Boys’ lacrosse earned the 15th seed with an 8–9 record. They won their first postseason game on the 29th, beating 18th-seeded Newton South 17–7 at home. They will have played their second game on Tuesday, facing 2nd-seeded St. John’s Prep on the road. Last year, the 13th-seeded Rockets were knocked out by 4th-seeded Andover in the final 16. This year Andover is the 3rd seed, and if the Rockets do play them again it would be in the semifinals.
The girls’ tennis team is the 6th seed after an amazing 15–0 season. They beat 27th-seeded Plymouth North 5–0 on the 28th and will next play 11th-seeded Andover at a date not yet determined at the time this article was written. Last year, 9th-seeded Needham was knocked out by 8th-seeded Winchester in the final 16. This year Winchester is the 3rd seed with an undefeated 19–0 record. If the Rockets do meet them in the playoffs it will be in the semifinals.
Boys’ tennis took the 7th seed with a 15–3 record. They won their first match against 26th-seeded Natick 4–1 on the 27th. They will have then played 10th-seeded Wellesley on Monday. The winner of that match will advance to face the winner of the 2nd-seeded Westford Academy vs. 15th-seeded St. John’s in the final 8. Last year the 8th-seeded Rockets were knocked out in the final 8 by 1st-seeded St. John’s Prep (not to be confused with St. John’s), who went on to win the championship. This year St. John’s Prep is the 3rd seed and if the Rockets play them again it would be in the semifinals.
Girls’ rugby did not qualify for the playoffs but finished the season with a 2–4 record with their first two wins for the program this year.
Rockets’ schedules can be accessed online at: arbiterlive.com and power rankings and brackets can be found at miaa.net/game-day/tournament-central.
