Top 10 Sports Highlights of the 2023-2024 School Year at Needham High School 

With the school year ending in a mere week, we thought it was appropriate to take a look back at some of the best athletic highlights of the year. We are so lucky to have over 50 amazing sports teams here at Needham High School through the fall, winter, and spring seasons. Though we are so proud of every Needham team, here are our top ten picks for the highlights of our athletic program during the 2023-2024 school year!

1. Athletic Staff and Directors 

The athletic trainers, directors, coaches, and staff are arguably the glue that holds all Needham athletics together. This year was the first school year for Needham’s new athletic director Ryan Madden and assistant athletic director Rich Verrier. They did an excellent job helping each team be the very best they could be. From scheduling buses to managing social media, ensuring that seniors have awesome final experiences and senior nights, helping out with technical difficulties, and much much more, the athletic department couldn’t manage without them. We also want to give a huge shout-out and thank you to the athletic trainers Mary Spierto and Steph Wilson. Mary and Steph see hundreds of injured or struggling kids each week and help them recover and be able to play again, which is something Needham athletes couldn’t appreciate more. They have also created an amazing environment in the athletic training room, which makes it a safe, comfortable, and even fun space for players to go to when they need help, which is so valuable. Finally, we want to shout out the countless coaches, assistant coaches, and managers who have helped contribute to so many successful teams at Needham; the athletic department couldn’t do it without you. 

2. Football 

Needham Football finished off an amazing season with a jaw-dropping 7-1 record. They ranked #3 in the MIAA Division 1 power rankings, following St. John’s Prep at #1 and Xaverian Brothers at #2. The team made a great run in the playoffs but unfortunately lost in the semi-finals to Xaverian Brothers 20-17. One of the highlights of the season was Needham’s win against Wellesley in the annual Thanksgiving game, which Wellesley hosted this year. Speaking of football, Needham also won their annual senior girls’ Powderpuff game against Wellesley, which Needham hosted this year. We can’t wait to see what the 2024-2025 season holds for this amazing program!

3. Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer

Yet another highly-ranked team according to the MIAA Division 1 power rankings was Needham Boys’ soccer. The team finished their season being ranked #2 in their division with a 14-2 record. Unsurprisingly, the boys also made a great postseason run beating Lexington, Boston College High, Franklin, and Winchester and making it all the way to the state finals. Unfortunately, the team lost to the #1 ranked team, Concord-Carlisle, in the final. However, the outcome of the game doesn’t diminish the team’s outstanding season and we wish them all the best next fall. Girls’ soccer also had quite a successful season finishing 12th in the MIAA Division 1 power rankings but taking a tough loss to Brookline in the round of 16 of the girls’ playoffs. 

4. Boys’ and Girls’ Volleyball

The boys’ and girls’ volleyball programs have always been some of the strongest programs at Needham. This year the girls finished with a record of 14-3, which earned them a #5 spot in the MIAA Division 1 ranking. They also made a great run in the playoffs, beating Attleboro in the quarter-finals, to whom they lost in the round of 32 last year. Unfortunately, the team lost to Newton North in the state semi-finals. Boys’ volleyball also had a great record, finishing 20-2, which earned them a #1 spot in the MIAA rankings. As they enter the postseason, we wish them luck in defending their three consecutive state championship wins. 

5. Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball

Boys’ and girls’ basketball both had great seasons this year, filled with close and competitive match-ups. The boys finished their season 13-7, which earned them a #15 spot in the MIAA ranking, while the girls finished 14-6 at #10 in the rankings, which was an impressive improvement from last year. Although both teams lost in the round of 18, we wish them the best of luck next season. 

6. Girls’ Swim and Dive 

Girls' Swim and Dive had one of the most impressive seasons this school year. Impressively, the girls won the Massachusetts Division 1 State Championship for the first time ever in Needham High School history. They were also named BSC Fall Champions for their impressive record. We are so proud of this amazing team and cannot wait to see what next season holds for them!

7. Boys’ and Girls’ Lacrosse 

Boys’ and Girls’ Lacrosse are just about wrapping up their regular seasons, and we saw so much growth in both teams. Boys’ lacrosse finished 7th in the MIAA Division 1 ranking, while the girls finished 11th. Both teams had winning records. Although neither teams’ initial post-season match-up in the round of 32 has been announced, we can’t wait to watch these teams compete in their respective brackets. 

8. Softball

Another spring sport that had a fantastic season was softball. Softball finished off their eventful season with an 11-7 record and a #10 spot in the MIAA Division 1 rankings. It hasn’t been announced who this amazing team will match up against in the playoffs, but we wish them the very best of luck and cannot wait to watch!

9. Dance and Cheer

Needham High School varsity dance and cheer both had great seasons in the past school year!! The cheer team brought great entertainment during the boys’ basketball games, as well as football games. The Needham community loved this team, and they had an amazing season. The dance team provided great entertainment as well, leaving the crowd mesmerized by their kicklines during basketball and football games. In the fall season, the dance team had one routine in the style of pom, and it was to a mix of songs with the theme of heartbreak. During states in the fall, they placed second in the pom division, and then in the winter they continued with that same pom routine and added a jazz routine to the song “Dream On”  by Aerosmith. At winter states, they placed second in the pom division and third in the jazz division, qualifying them to go to New England with both routines. The 23-24 captains were Alexa Oriel, Amelia Sacher, and Sydney Broderick, who led their team to success along with coach Jessica!

10. Field Hockey

Needham Field Hockey team had a very fun and accomplished season. The team won  67% of their games, and Coach Magni was very proud of this group this season. Needham field hockey came second in the Bay State Carey League, which is very impressive. The girls can’t wait to start the new season in the fall!

We couldn’t be more proud of each and every outstanding Needham sports team, even the ones not mentioned. We’re so excited to see what next year holds and we can’t wait to see the growth and progress that awaits each team. We also wish the best of luck to all the teams still participating in postseason games, and we’ll see you all next year!