The Ohio State and Harvard mens volleyball rosters verify what two-time defending Div. 1 champion Needham accomplished in each of the ultimate two unbeaten seasons.
Ben Putnam is now surrounded by teammates from California or the Midwest on the nationwide championship-contending Buckeyes. Identical for Owen Fanning by way of two years with the Crimson.
Between them, two-time All-Scholastic Nolan Leary, two-time All-Scholastic Raymond Weng, and All-Scholastic contributions from Kevin Coppinger, Eli Blumenstein and Ethan McCarron, the Rockets had been overwhelmingly loaded with experience. And in the end nonetheless seniors Weng and McCarron graduated in each 2021 or 2022, the widespread notion throughout the boys volleyball group was that this 12 months – whereas it can nonetheless be troublesome to beat the Rockets – will be utterly completely different.
However at 15-0 to date with the state’s second-highest energy of schedule, Needham is proving that breaking down its success doesn’t come proper all the way down to a merely handful of star players.
The current 61-game win streak is clearly historic, as was its 120-set win streak ultimate season. This worthwhile is nothing new, though, with solely 14 losses to 238 wins given that start of 2013.
“Guys have been hungry, guys stayed hungry, and we’re attempting to maintain our children hungry within the midst of success,” said Rockets head coach Dave Powell. “We didn’t all the time fairly hit what we needed to by way of the tip outcome, however we had some loopy success for a protracted time frame earlier than the pandemic. It’s not prefer it’s a current factor, there simply hasn’t occurred to be a match loss (not too long ago).”
In 2014, Needham was nonetheless looking for its first state championship. The 22-0 Rockets met 22-0 Newton South throughout the Div. 1 South remaining, and even led 2-0 throughout the match. However as part of a 47-game win streak that carried over into an eventual rematch with Needham within the equivalent sport the following season, the Lions bought right here once more to win on a 15-12 fifth set and went on to take the state title.
There’s under no circumstances just one or two contributing parts to a program that’s gained three state titles and 6 Div. 1 South sectional finals over the previous decade. However there’s an perspective that’s helped kind the juggernaut everyone knows proper now.
One thing needed to differ, and Needham went on to get revenge in an unbeaten season the next 12 months to complete Newton South’s streak and win its first state title.
“The 2014 loss fueled us. It fueled me as a coach to form of have a look at this system introspectively and say, ‘Hey, what are we doing right here,’” Powell said. “(2015) was only a massive 12 months for us as a result of up till that 12 months, we simply form of tried to evangelise being a superb volleyball participant. We didn’t actually preach toughness and being a superb individual, and being resilient. 2015, form of all of the items got here collectively. Since then, we haven’t all the time had probably the most gifted workforce, however we attempt to squeeze the whole lot out of what we’ve had.”
As good as a result of the 2015 unbeaten squad was, or the ultimate two teams which have anchored this current streak had been, two teams that significantly stand out on this stretch for Powell bought right here in 2017 and 2018. Not as a consequence of a championship – neither sealed the deal — nonetheless by way of getting primarily probably the most out of what you’ve got throughout the blue collar, come to the health heart capable of work sort of mentality Needham strives for.
The 61-game win streak is good. However that’s not primarily what the Rockets use to elucidate success.
“You guys like speaking in regards to the streak, however for us, we’re simply attempting to get just a little higher on daily basis, nook our personal efficiency and compete in these matches,” Powell said. “That’s what we’re about. It’s laborious to uphold these requirements to our guys every day, however that’s the usual within the gymnasium. For those who’re within the gymnasium, you’re competing. … Children nonetheless have the flexibility to compete in the event that they’re held to sure requirements. It’s not an ideal 10 on daily basis in our gymnasium and there are undoubtedly moments the place we don’t hit our every day requirements, however we attempt our greatest.”
Dropping a 2020 season after having a whole 12 months to marinate on an upset loss in 2019 fueled Fanning, Leary, Putnam and Powell to fulfill 5 days each week for seaside volleyball. Depth and creativity to get the work in dialed up a notch, and the Rockets haven’t misplaced since.
Success brings further success in a metropolis like Needham, which now has players committing to the sport as youthful as a result of the sixth grade. Gamers are prepared throughout the wing to step into large roles, evident by the success exterior hitter Luke Lorence, heart Alex Gundaker, libero Owen Ching and setter Devin Dellamarggio have found on this 12 months’s workforce after spending time beneath ultimate 12 months’s stars. Two of the state’s bests in Weng and McCarron nonetheless contribute in an infinite method to this method that leads the dialog for a potential third straight state title.
Aspect-outs
— Bus factors proceed to plague highschool sports activities actions throughout the state, with Newton North arriving an hour late to its Thursday matchup at Natick, O’Bryant staff members having to drive players to Milford on Friday, and a bus breakdown suspending Wayland-Boston Latin.
— St. John’s Prep (9-5) repeats a sturdy advertising marketing campaign from ultimate 12 months, nonetheless spectacular turnarounds from St. John’s of Shrewsbury (13-2) and BC Excessive (10-4) give the Catholic Convention three teams throughout the excessive 10 of the latest MIAA Div. 1 power rankings after a largely quiet 2022.
— The 1,000-assists membership added two new members this week in Chelmsford’s Victor Lam and New Bedford’s Carter Barbosa.
— Third time is the attraction for the youthful Revere program (13-3), edging Malden 3-2 in consecutive video video games to reinforce to 12-0 throughout the Larger Boston League for the league title.
