November 14, 2025
• The Rockets finished the regular season with their first victory of 2025 and are now on a roll heading into Thanksgiving.
After closing out their regular season with a win over Framingham, then taking out Durfee in their first non-playoff game a week ago, Needham Football hosted Newton North, in a rematch of a regular season game from October 9th. In that game, the Tigers came from behind to win at home, 12-7, but in this one, the Rockets held on for a 14-12 victory.
Neither team was able to score in the 1st Quarter, though Needham took a fifteen play, 71 yard drive into the 2nd. On their second play though, the Rockets failed to score from the Tiger two yard line, extending their woes in the red zone.
Later in the quarter, however, Needham broke through, finishing a thirteen play, 63 yard drive with a nine yard TD run by Joey Saratella, his second score of the year. The Senior Running Back had thirteen rushes for 54 yards in the first half and 18-for-63 in the game.
The Rockets led 7-0 at halftime, then extended that lead to 14 on their first drive of the 3rd Quarter, on a five yard TD pass from Senior Quarterback Tyler Langford to Junior Tight End Mason Hark. Needham went twelve plays for 70 yards on the drive.
The Tigers finally started moving the ball at the end of the 3rd Quarter and in the 4th, they made it to the Needham red zone, but stalled on a 4th and goal from the 16. The Rockets looked like they would be able to run out the clock, but Newton North forced a fumble on the Needham 30 yard line.
Dylan Leone would score on a short touchdown run to put the Tigers on the board, but their extra point was blocked. On the very next play, Newton North recovered an onside kick in Needham territory and a few plays later, Leone scored from six yards out, pulling the Tigers within two.
Newton North would go for two, but Freddy Torcasio’s pass was intercepted in the end zone by Needham Junior Matt Mullaney. That didn’t close out the win, however, as the Rockets were forced to punt and the Tigers marched down the field, setting up for a 36 yard field goal attempt that came up just short of the crossbar to seal the third straight win for the Rockets.
In the game, Needham had 134 rushing yards and 85 passing, totaling 219 total offensive yards. Newton North had 107 rushing yards and 134 passing, for 241 total yards. Torcasio completed 12-of-24 passes for the 134 yards, while Langford completed his first seven passes in a row, going 8-of-9 on the game for the 85 yards and his eighth touchdown pass of the season.
Needham (3-7) now looks ahead to The Oldest Public High School Football Rivalry In The Country, when they visit Wellesley on Thanksgiving Day in less than two weeks. The Raiders, #8 in the MIAA Division 2 Playoffs, visited #1 Catholic Memorial Friday night and fell 47-0, evening their season record to 5-5.
The Needham Channel and Needham Local are your official home for The Oldest Public High School Football Rivalry in the Country! As always, we will be recording a broadcast along with our friends at Wellesley Public Media, with the debut coming on Thanksgiving Night. You can also watch games and specials from previous years via our archives at: needhamchannel.org and: our YouTube Channel.
To watch the final missed field goal by Newton North, as well as Mike Levin’s postgame interviews with Tyler Langford, Ikenna St. Marc and James Alperstein, check out the videos below via our TNC Instagram:
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