New Maxpreps Ratings Are Up

Melrose travels to Winchester tomorrow to face the surprising 10-5 Sachems, an expansion team with a winning record. Local volleyball fans look forward to the day where generalized improvement in the Middlesex League provides more than a handful of competitive matches.

Melrose moves up nine spots in this week's Maxpreps.com rankings...whatever that means. Melrose gave number one ranked Central all they could handle, swept number six Barnstable, and Andover already lost twice to Central. Additionally, Melrose easily defeated Frontier in preseason scrimmaging.

The volleyball season flies by with several attractive contests, including a pair of home games next week with Lexington and Bishop Feehan, and a road trip to number fifteen Canton. Higher level competition should sharpen up the team for the playoffs.

Coach Scott Celli and Assistant Steve Wall have created a sustainable winning program, with talent coming up through the ranks to replace graduating seniors who will be honored next week at Senior Night. Next year Melrose will return hitter Athena Ziavras, Sophomore regulars Jill Slabacheski and Allysa Diraffaele, and have returning veterans in freshman defensive specialist Amanda Commito, freshman setter Brooke Bell, and sophomore Brittany Adelman. Coach Celli also has the option of promoting a couple of promising JV players for the postseason.

The window of opportunity to compete at a high level hasn't closed for the past eight years, and plenty of talent flows through the pipeline.

Net news. Winchester qualifies for post-season play.