Swimming/Diving Team Places Fourth at States

By Micah Hauben, NHS Director of Athletics

On Saturday, Nov. 19 at MIT, the girls swimming and diving team put together their best performances of the season to finish fourth overall in the Division I State Championships.

Below is a recap of the tremendous action from Saturday from Head Coach Paul Hession:

The Rocket swimmers and divers headed to MIT for Division I State Championships on Saturday looking to make some waves in the pool and they didn't disappoint. To get things started, the 200 medley relay team of Sarah DiNatale, Julia Nascimben, Victoria McCormick and Emilie Despres finished with a relay best time of 1:56.68 and a seventh-place finish to put the Rockets on the scoreboard.

In the 200 individual medley, sophomore Katie Santaniello swam a season best time of 2:18.06 on her way to an 11th-place finish. 

In the 50 freestyle, senior captain Sarah Hooper set the standard for future Rocket sprinters by besting the NHS record set by Sarah Healey in 2001 with a time of 25.00 for an eighth-place finish. 

The 100 butterfly presented the Rockets with their best opportunity for scoring in the individual events with senior captain Jessica Murphy and Santaniello competing in the final heat. Murphy finished in third place with a blazing fast time of 59.11, with Santaniello right behind her with a personal best time of 1:00.62 for a fifth-place finish. 

The sprinters followed in the 100 freestyle with a chance to get three swimmers in the top 16.  Junior Sydney Dixon swam a personal best of 56.26 to finish 14th, and Hooper continued her amazing meet with a personal best of 54.60 for a fourth-place finish. 

In the 500 freestyle, senior captain McCormick swam a personal best by nearly seven full seconds for a 14th-place finish with a time of 5:28.87.

The 200 freestyle relay team had a goal of improving upon their swim at conference, which broke the NHS relay record set in 1999. The relay team of Santaniello, Emilie Despres, Hooper and Murphy achieved their goals in outstanding fashion with a time of 1:40.36 for a fourth-place finish.

The 100 breaststroke produced another top finish for Murphy with a time of 1:09.64 to finish in fourth place. 

Going into the 400 freestyle relay, Needham saw itself clinging to fourth place just ahead of conference rival Framingham by one point with only the relay and diving yet to be scored. 

The relay team of Santaniello, Dixon, Hooper and Murphy swam an absolutely amazing race with a relay best time by nearly seven full seconds with a time of 3:39.61. This established the third new NHS record of the day, bettering the Rocket relay team from 2001 as well as finishing ahead of Walpole's relay, which beat them out for the conference championship.

When the fiving results were announced after the relay, Needham's fans held their collective breath to see if they would stay ahead of their conference rivals Framingham and Walpole who had finished first and second at conference championships. 

Junior Maria Smirnov had a great day and dove her way to a 13th-place finish with 343.15 points on the board. 

This day belonged to the Rockets as, when the final scores were announced, Needham held on to fourth place a mere two points ahead of the Flyers from Framingham. 

It is truly a testament to how hard this team worked all season to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Andover, Chelmsford and Acton Boxboro high schools, which finished first second and third respectively. It is Needham's highest finish at Division I State Championships since the two divisions were created. 

Other recent news from the Needham High School Athletic Department:

Dance Team

On Sunday, Nov. 20 at Shrewsbury High Schol, the NHS dance team entered the Fall State Championships as the defending Winter State Champions, and although they did not take the fall title, the girls performed extremely well and finished in second place overall behind league rival Braintree. Wakefield rounded out the top 3.  

The team will perform at the Thanksgiving Day football game in Wellesley on Thursday, Nov. 24 along with the NHS cheerleaders before starting up the winter season just after the holiday weekend.

This winter season will not only see the dancers compete to defend their state title but also see them travel to Miami, FL in January to perform at half-time of the NCAA Orange Bowl.

Boys Soccer

NHS boys soccer junior captain , after helping lead his team to the South Sectional semi-final round and taking home BSC Carey Division MVP honors, has been named to the All-State Soccer Team by the Eastern Mass. Soccer Coaches Association and All-New-England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Football

The big Needham vs. Wellesley Thanksgiving Day football game is approaching this Thursday, and to get ready, Needham High School will hold a student pep rally on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 10:45 a.m. in the high school gym.

Tickets to the game are at various venues around town. The game will be held in Wellesley.

Check http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/athletics for Rocket Athletic news, updates, forms, links and complete team schedules.

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