Needham sweeps Brookline for Div. 1 South volleyball title
NEEDHAM — Shortly after the MIAA Tournament Management Committee voted in March to nix a state tournament for spring sports and just opt in for sectional championships, Owen Fanning and the Needham boys volleyball team were some of the vocal leaders in protesting to get that overturned.
VOLLEYBALL
Fast forward to Monday afternoon, and those Rockets have secured a spot in exactly what they were fighting for.
With its usual ritual of serving aggressively, fielding their opponents’ big hits and relentlessly attacking through tall hitters in Fanning, Ben Putnam and Nolan Leary, No. 1 Needham (20-0) went on a couple of huge runs to sweep familiar foe No. 3 Brookline, 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-15), for its fifth Div. 1 South title in the last six postseasons. A 7-0 run in both the second and third sets proved vital, seemingly taking much of the oxygen out of a prominent Warriors (15-5) attack to beat them for a fourth time this year.
The last time the program won a state crown was in 2015, so the Rockets are thirsty for another one.
“We’re really close, we just have to keep pushing,” said senior libero Eli Blumenstein, who was a freshman filming games when Needham last made the state final in 2018. “We’re obviously excited, but we know that we have a bigger goal. We can’t lose focus just because we won the sectional title.”
“This feels really good, but we knew back in March that if we end it now, it would be unnatural,” added head coach Dave Powell. “That’s what we fought for, not just for us, but for every school and town across the state. … We fought for it, it’s here, and we want to take it.”
Much like the other matchups against Brookline this year, each set started back-and-forth as teams traded kills and errors in a highly energized atmosphere. Jacob Smagula and Blumenstein were quite active crashing to the floor in the back row for their respective teams, highlighting a grind up until Needham caught fire.
Westford Academy 3, North Andover 0 — For the first time since 2016, the Westford Academy boys volleyball team is the North sectional champion.
The fifth-seeded Grey Ghosts, under first-year head coach Brandon Eang, swept their way past No. 10 North Andover in the North final at Westford Academy. Set scores were 25-20, 25-17 and 25-22.
Westford (14-2) will travel to South champion Needham (20-0) on Wednesday (4 p.m.) for a state semifinal.
“I didn’t know any of these players, because we didn’t have a season last year (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). So that’s why this team is so special,” said Eang, who previously coached the WA girls volleyball team. “They just continued to work hard and work together and believe in each other. They always put 100% in at practice. That’s the way we practice and that’s the way we play the game.”
The Grey Ghosts, who haven’t lost a set in their last two matches, led for nearly the entire match on Monday. They trailed briefly early in the first set, 10-9. With their size at the net, led by senior captain Fabian Arnold and junior Matthew Zegowitz, WA seemed to have an answer every time NA tried to mount a run.
Arnold finished with 11 kills and one ace, and gushed about the bond his team has formed during this already-memorable season.
“It’s really amazing,” said Arnold. “The team came together really well. We have a lot of great players, and the fans and the parents are all really excited. We have one of the best gyms to play in, obviously. We just have a blast playing together.”
If you were looking to escape the unbearable heat outside by attending the volleyball match inside WA’s gym, you were out of luck. It was a packed house, and it was loud, energetic and stuffy.
North Andover (11-5) brought a strong cheering section, but the WA faithful were plenty fired up as well. Riding that momentum, the Grey Ghosts jumped out to a 7-2 lead to start the first set and a 4-0 cushion to start the second set.
The Scarlet Knights were playing catch-up all day. They did put together some impressive stretches, led by senior outside hitter Liam Ross and senior middle hitter Samuel Ursu.
Westford’s depth and ability to avoid unforced errors was just too much for NA. Senior outside hitter Elliot Bradley had 13 kills, one block and one ace, while junior Jake Aylward added three big blocks.
“We have that grit and that ‘It’ factor,” said Eang. “They just know how to win.”