Rockets Review: A Busy Break

By Micah Hauben, NHS Director of Athletics

The fifth-ranked boys volleyball team capped off the week before April Vacation with three wins in a row, taking down league foes Brookline and Weymouth and EMASS No. 1-ranked Xaverian.

On Saturday during the break, the team traveled to Holyoke to take part in the Tournament of Champions event at Holyoke Community College. Playing a lot of volleyball against some of the top teams in the state, the Rockets came away with a runner-up finish in the Bronze Division.  

Coming up this week is a home match against Wellesley on Monday, April 23 followed by away matches at Newton North and Norwood.  

Boys & Girls Track and Field

On the first Saturday of break, athletes from both programs competed in the Freshman/Sophomore Invitational in Hingham, before each team earned a victory over Dedham, competing at home on Wednesday.  

The teams will host Braintree and Weymouth on back-to-back Tuesdays, with the MSTCA DII Relays taking place on Sunday, April 29 at Whitman-Hanson High School.

Girls Lacrosse

Although the top-10 girls lost their first game of the year against Cold Harbor Spring High School out of New York on the Thursday before break, they rebounded well, defeating tough non-league opponents King Philip and Reading on Thursday, April 19 and Saturday, April 21. 

The road does not get any easier for the team, as they will host Andover on Monday, April 23, travel to Wellesley on Wednesday, April 25 and welcome in Framingham on Friday, April 27.

Boys Lacrosse

Coming in highly touted this season, the boys dropped a tough season opener on the road to Hingham in overtime and played an inconsistent game in a loss to out-of-state rival Bishop Guertin (New Hampshire) on the Tuesday of break.

Hitting the road for two more high level games, the team earned important wins over Scituate and Catholic Memorial (9-8), to come out of the vacation at 4-2.

After a strong Wellesley team comes to Needham on Tuesday, April 24, the Rockets will travel to Framingham on Friday, April 27, before hosting state power Duxbury on Saturday night (April 28 ) at 6:45 p.m. on .

Baseball

Struggling a bit before vacation, dropping contests to Wellesley and Framingham, the Rockets went 2-1 over the break, defeating Boston English and West Roxbury before losing a close one to Coyle and Cassidy High School.  

A busy week will start with a game at Natick on Monday, April 23, followed by a home game on Wednesday, April 25 vs. Weymouth, and will finish with a night game under the lights at Memorial on Friday, April 27 vs. Braintree.

Softball

After winning back-to-back BSC games the week before break, shutting out Brookline and beating Wellesley 4-2, the team's next game against Framingham had to be postponed to the vacation week.  

While the Rockets played well defensively against the Flyers on Thursday, April 19, they were unable to generate any offense and lost their second league game of the spring.  

The girls went right back at it on Friday, April 20, traveling to non-league Medfield, and although they had a strong outing, they came out on the losing end.  

The Rockets are due to host Natick on Monday, April 23, before traveling to Weymouth on Wednesday, April 25 and Braintree on Friday, April 27.

Boys & Girls Tennis

Both tennis teams saw no action over break and have yet to lose on the season. Each will be tested early, as the girls will host non-league Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) on Tuesday, April 24 before hitting the road for two difficult BSC matches: Wednesday, April 25 at Brookline and Friday, April 27 at Wellesley.

The boys sites will be opposite, as they will host Brookline on Wednesday, April 25 and Wellesley on Friday, April 27.

Rockets Review is a weekly update distributed by email by Needham High School Director of Athletics Micah Hauben and published with permission on Needham Patch. Additional athletics information can be found on the NHS Athletic Department Web site.