How to Get Better Grades in School

You own your paycheck. Every MVB athlete belongs on the honor roll.  "Hack your GPA" without cheating. How? Have better process. 

Content from ChatGPT Plus appears in blue. 

1. Get adequate sleep. 

Aim for eight hours, required for best athletic performance.

Sleep has a profound impact on academic performance because it is the foundation for attention, memory, and learning. During sleep, especially deep and REM stages, the brain consolidates information gathered throughout the day, strengthening neural connections and making recall easier. Students who are sleep-deprived struggle with focus, problem-solving, and critical thinking, leading to more mistakes and slower processing. Chronic lack of rest also heightens stress and reduces motivation, compounding academic difficulties. On the other hand, consistent, high-quality sleep improves alertness, mood, and the ability to transfer knowledge from short-term to long-term memory, making it one of the most effective — and often overlooked — study tools available.

2. Mindfulness. 

Mindful meditation (takes about ten minutes a day), improves attention, sleep, and grades. 

Evidence shows that mindfulness practices, including mindful meditation, can positively influence students’ academic performance by improving focus, emotional regulation, and resilience to stress. Research in higher education settings has found that students who participate in mindfulness training demonstrate better working memory, reduced test anxiety, and improved concentration during study and exams. These cognitive and emotional benefits translate into measurable outcomes: multiple studies report modest but significant gains in GPA or course performance among students who regularly practice mindfulness compared to controls. The mechanism is thought to be twofold—first, mindfulness enhances sustained attention and reduces mind-wandering, and second, it lowers stress reactivity, which helps students perform closer to their potential under academic pressure. In short, mindful meditation doesn’t just reduce stress; it creates mental conditions more favorable for learning, retention, and ultimately higher grades.

Access mindfulness scripts from the UCLA Mindfulness site. There's an app for that. 

3. Learn How to Learn. 

Free courses like Coursera's "Learn How to Learn" have value. The three key points from the course included:

• Reduce distractions. They suggest the 'Pomodoro Technique' of 25 minutes study time and five minutes break.
• Spaced repetition. Spreading your studies out beats cramming with last minute study. 
• Self-testing. After reading a chapter or studying, ask yourself what are the key points, what matters, and the importance. 

4. Write better. 

• Almost all writers are readers. Read. 
• Get something down. To paraphrase Salman Rushdie, use your 'creative imagination' then refine with your 'critical imagination'. 
• Become a storyteller. Books like "Made to Stick" inform the power of storytelling. Chip and Dan Heath explain the SUCCESS acronym - simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional stories. 
• Study great writers like Stephen King and Hemingway. His book "On Writing," should be required reading for all students. Use strong verbs and limit adverbs. Hemingway said, "Writing is easy. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." His writing conveys emotion often with short sentences and simple words. 
• Have a structure. Your opening line and paragraph capture the reader's attention. "Call me Ishmael" or "My business is death" start page-turners. 

5. Commit to the process. 

The child, a future MVB captain was leaving for a family graduation. She said, "I promise that I will be the valedictorian." Match your work to your dream. 

Lagniappe. Every MVB athlete belongs on the honor roll. Every MVB athlete belongs on the honor roll. Commitment and discipline inhabit both. "How you do anything is how you do everything." Highlights from Stephen King's "On Writing." 

✍️ Key Takeaways from On Writing

1. Read a lot, write a lot

   • King insists the two habits are inseparable: constant reading expands vocabulary, style, and imagination, while regular writing sharpens craft.

2. Write for yourself first

   • Don’t chase trends or markets. The story must matter to you; only then will it have the authenticity to matter to others.

3. Cut the clutter

   • His famous rule: “The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” Keep sentences clear, direct, and lean.

4. Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open

   • The first draft is private and free of outside influence; revision invites feedback and considers the reader.

5. Tell the truth

   • Good writing is about honesty. Characters, dialogue, and settings must feel authentic even in fiction.

6. Avoid overplanning

   • King discourages rigid plotting. He prefers to discover stories through characters and situations, letting the narrative unfold organically.

7. Make writing a routine

   • He stresses discipline: set aside a consistent time and place, treat it like work, and write daily even when uninspired.

8. First drafts should be fast and raw

   • Aim to finish a draft in about three months. Momentum prevents self-doubt and keeps the story alive.

9. The toolbox metaphor

   • Writers need a “toolbox” filled with vocabulary, grammar, style, and storytelling tools, sharpened through practice.

10. Writing is about life, not just words

• The craft is deeply tied to living fully — experiences, emotions, and relationships feed the imagination and enrich stories.

Stats Melrose - Ipswich

Stats are in.  

Highlights:

Kills

Sabine delivered 17 and Adriana Santoriello had a career-high 10. 

Serving

Danni DiGiorgio had a massive 24 service points. 

Team statistics were less satisfactory with serve percentage at 84%

Assists

Sadie Smith did her usual excellent job with 31 assists. 

Serve Receive

Anna Burns (19) and Alisa Dautovic (15) both put up big numbers. 

Digs

Anna, Adriana, and Danni all delivered double digit digs. 

Melrose Notes: Melrose has enjoyed a lot of success during the past three decades. Successful teams play "complementary volleyball." Blocking gives the defense a chance. Serve receive gives your quarterback (setter) a chance. Playoff runs require three solid attackers. The young attackers are showing a lot of growth and the middles keep doing their job. 

Game 10: Melrose 3 Ipswich 1

Melrose hosted a historically strong Ipswich team that has struggled in 2025 and emerged on top with a 25-23, 21-25, 25-15, and 25-10 win.

The win raises the Melrose record to 7-3, riding a five game winning streak. It is the first time Melrose has ever played four consecutive games without a practice. 

Melrose was in control of the first set early but the Tigers fought back and ultimately leveled the score at 23. A Sabine kill and an Ipswich error ended the scoring. 

Early on, Sabine Wenzel worked her magic (via MHS-TV sports)

The second stanza was close and Ipswich capitalized on some Melrose miscues to close out the set.

Melrose dominated the third and fourth sets. Ipswich had faced a lot of high leverage situations and seemed to lose focus under the Melrose attack. 

The offense shifted away from the middle and toward the pins with strong action from freshman Adriana Santoriello and sophomores Elise Marchais and Ella Friedlaender. 

Here's a great example of growth. Ipswich keeps the ball alive in scramble mode, Danni DiGiorgio digs one out, and Adriana makes an adjustment and scores on a two-handed push to the corner. 

Overall, the young Melrose team performed well. They almost always have either three freshmen (Adriana, Alisa, Danni) or three sophomores (Sadie Smith, Elise, and Ella) on the court.  

Melrose notes: Few moments beat the excitement of being called up to the varsity. After the game, Coach Scott Celli elevated sophomore DS Gen Overlan in a well-deserved promotion. 

The key to successful play links consistency and aggressiveness. That begins with serve-receive and the back row of libero Anna Burns, Danni, Alisa and Adriana continue to make strides. 

Melrose - Watertown Stats Are In

Stats are in...not a heavy statistical input. Stats via Maxpreps.com 

Excerpts: 

Kills:

Sabine and Emme combined for 21 kills, Sabine with 14 in two sets

Assists: 

Sadie Smith had 21 assists

Serving:

Danni DiGiorgio led with 17 service points 

The team serving percentage was 88%

Serve-Receive:

Alisa Dautovic led the team in receptions 

Melrose notes:

Sabine continues to hold a narrow lead in the Commonwealth in kills with 171

Sadie Smith has moved up to 19th in assists with 217

Define Your Destiny

Don't say, "I'll try." Show yourself, "I will." The power of self-belief extends further than you know.  

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Melrose Hosts Ipswich Tuesday

Melrose hosts Ipswich Tuesday at the Middle School as the Tigers look to get untracked after a slow start.

Ipswich was 2nd in the 2024 MIAA volleyball power rankings and 1st in the 2023 MIAA power rankings. 

They'll be determined to find a way to guarantee themselves a place into the postseason. Expect a tough match. 

Learning How to Win

Young teams need to learn how to win. It's not easy. There's no stone tablet, no magic pill. 

Here are a few concepts:

1. Commit to Excellence

“Always do your best.” Be focused, coachable, present—and help your teammates shine.

Example: Whether it's practice, rest, or in game focus...be there. 

2. Create Advantage → Execute → Repeat
Earn small edges. Exploit them confidently. Make it routine. 

Example: Serve with purpose. Find the seams or the weak defender.

3. Double Down on What Works
Use data and observation to reinforce strengths. Drop or adjust what undermines performance.

Example: Dominate the middle and the pins will open.

4. DOT B: The Next-Play Breath
After every point: Stop and take a breath. 

Example: Focus completely on the next moment. 

5. Own Your Role 
Be accountable—serve, pass, dig, communicate. Regular self-assessment, looking for one percent improvement daily, creates massive long-term progress. 

Example: Keep a notebook of progress and needs. 

Benefits of This Approach

Element	Impact on Winning
Consistent Process	Builds confidence, reduces errors
Advantage Exploitation	Converts setups into points under pressure
Mindful Reset (DOT B)	Enhances composure and focus
Continuous Improvement	Adapts and evolves, prevents stagnation

Lagniappe. Have a daily plan and a long-term plan.   

Lagniappe 2. Share positive observations. 

• Sabine's focus / engagement each play continues to improve.
• Sadie's serve is better, looking for seams, weak defenders
• Adriana's back armswing during approach runup was textbook at times against Watertown. This helps her launch into attack. 

Sabine Wenzel 'Moving on Up'

Statistics are one important metric of an athletes career, along with winning, leadership, and recognition. 

Sabine Wenzel ascends the MVB legacy board as she came into today's play with 665 career kills and 157 kills in 2025.

She is likely to challenge for the single season MVB record and the '300' club of kills in a season.   

 

Game 9 - Melrose 3 Watertown 0

Melrose traveled to Watertown and cruised to a 25-8, 25-12, 25-10 win. The win raised their record to 6-3.

Melrose’s hiiting force from the middle proved too much for the Raiders, as Sabine Wenzel and Emme Boyer scored regularly.

The second set saw substantial service runs from sophomore Sadie Smith and freshman Adriana Santoriello.

The third set saw more dominance with some good action from Juliet Chevalier and strong serves from Adele Akland. 

Melrose notes: Coach Scott Celli is pleased with the team’s improvement. Some of the hitters have improved their run ups and backswing, generating more lift.

Alumna note: Former MVB superstar Victoria Crovo completes her veterinary medicine studies this winter and recently passed her certification examination.

Watertown Game Location - Watertown Middle School

Today's game is at the Watertown Middle School.  

Game Nine at Watertown Monday

Melrose executes the equivalent of an ML12 "West Coast trip" to Watertown on Monday to do volleyball battle. 

Watertown is a field hockey superpower but has enjoyed less success in volleyball. 

Melrose has battled its way back from a 2-3 start and breached the first division of the ML12. 

Coaching - Leading not Managing

The sure way to upset people is telling them how to do their job. When I think about "input" to coaches it's consulting not insulting. Coaches function like 'company founders'. They know the business better than anyone else. 

Before reading on, check out Paul Graham's essay on 'Founder Mode'. Here's an excerpt:

"Founders feel like they're being gaslit from both sides — by the people telling them they have to run their companies like managers, and by the people working for them when they do. Usually when everyone around you disagrees with you, your default assumption should be that you're mistaken. But this is one of the rare exceptions."

It's seldom enough to find 'talented players' and let them do their thing, to "figure it out" on their own. Sometimes they're not as talented as we think. Players need to make their skills impact the game and complement teammates. 

Coaches achieve that through leadership not managing. That emphasizes both problem solving and relationships. 

Dave Kline adds the value of storytelling. "Managers often offer summaries. Leaders always offer strategies."

Coaches teach. Coaches inspire. Coaches help players to believe in themselves. It's the best job in the world.

Lagniappe. Pep Guardiola is widely considered the best football manager in the world. "Copy pasting doesn't work." 

Roles and Stats Update

Every team has roles. 🎭

Step 1: Know your role.
Step 2: Embrace your role.
Step 3: Star in your role.

And if you don’t like your current role? That’s fine. Work for the role you want — but do it while starring in the role you have.

That’s how you earn trust, respect, and… pic.twitter.com/LpHUuRIStl

— Alan Stein, Jr. (@AlanSteinJr) September 26, 2025

Every team has roles. Not every team has players capable of embracing and thriving in them. 

Embracing a role doesn't prevent you from expanding or redefining it. "Do more to become more and become more to do more." 

Sabine Wenzel moves up the MVB career record list. Why? It wasn't because she's 'tall'. It's because she improved her skills, game understanding, and athleticism to leverage physical gifts. She had one kill as a freshman. Things have changed. 

Massachusetts kill leaders (as of 9/28/25)

Sadie Smith has moved up to 21st on the state assists list. 

"A Wrinkle in Time" and Metaphorical Lessons for Volleyball

Some see an abundance of youth as an "island of misfit toys." A more nuanced views sees it as ingredients for a great entree. Samin Nosrat's cookbook shares that great dishes share four elements - salt, fat, acid, and heat.  

With ChatGPT Plus, enjoy this application of A Wrinkle in Time to volleyball. 

The inspiration for the piece comes from "Ted Lasso," where Coach Ted gifts books to his players, a group not known for reading. Team Captain Roy Kent is a reluctant leader, a curmudgeon who wants nothing to do with Ted. Ted gifts Roy A Wrinkle in Time, which Roy then reads to his niece Phoebe,

""No," Meg said. "I have to do it."

"But how?" Calvin asked.

"I don't know! But I know it has to be me! Don't you see? I'm the only one who can!"

This moment defines Meg's entire journey. Awkward, stubborn, and un-special, she realizes that her unique love—flawed, angry, but utterly unconditional—is the one weapon IT cannot comprehend or defend against. Weakness becomes her ultimate strength.

It dawns upon Roy that he must become 'Meg Murry', the veteran who inspires teammates and builds a bridge with their new manager. 

Young players "don't know what they don't know." But they have a unique capacity for growth, earning the coach's trust, and learning how to win. Every day moves in that direction as flaws become strengths.  

Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time is often remembered as a children’s fantasy novel, but beneath the space travel and mysterious beings lies a message that resonates far beyond literature. It is a story about courage, individuality, and, above all, the power of love. Surprisingly, those same lessons apply to the gym floor and the volleyball court.

Love as the Ultimate Weapon → Trust as the Foundation

In the climax of the novel, Meg rescues her younger brother Charles Wallace not with logic, strength, or cleverness, but with love. That’s her secret weapon against the darkness.

On a volleyball team, love shows up as trust. Players who truly care for each other dive for loose balls, encourage after errors, and celebrate small victories together. Trust can’t be faked. It is built through consistency, empathy, and the shared joy of competing as one.

Individuality vs. Conformity → Strength in Diversity

Camazotz, the dark planet in the novel, demands absolute conformity. Everyone walks in step, plays the same rhythm, and obeys the same force. It’s a chilling metaphor for what happens when creativity is stamped out.

Volleyball thrives on the opposite. The best teams harness difference: the fiery competitor who raises the energy, the calm player who steadies the group, the inventive setter who sees angles no one else does. Success comes from blending those unique gifts, not suppressing them. A team of clones can’t adapt. A team of individuals working in harmony can.

Flaws as Strengths

Meg spends much of the novel frustrated with her faults—her stubbornness, her temper, her doubts. Yet those same qualities, reframed, become her greatest strength. Her fierce loyalty and refusal to quit save her brother.

Athletes often fall into the same trap of thinking their quirks are weaknesses. The “too emotional” player may be the one who lifts the team in key moments. The “too intense” competitor may set the standard of effort. Great coaches help players channel those so-called flaws into strengths that fuel the whole team.

Analytics and Intuition

L’Engle blends science and mystery: the tesseract is both a scientific concept and a symbol of faith in forces beyond comprehension.

Coaching requires a similar blend. Numbers matter—serve percentage, hitting efficiency, side-out rates. But intuition matters too. A coach sensing when to call timeout, a setter reading a block, or a libero positioning by instinct—all of these defy charts and statistics. The best teams respect both the measurable and the immeasurable.

Courage and Growth

Meg begins the story insecure and uncertain. By the end, she faces darkness with courage, not because she lost her fear, but because she chose to act despite it.

Volleyball players grow in the same way. Confidence doesn’t come from avoiding mistakes; it comes from surviving them, learning from them, and rising again. Every challenging match is a chance to become stronger, just as every character test was for Meg.

A Wrinkle in Time teaches that darkness is defeated not through conformity or control, but through individuality, courage, and love. Volleyball teaches the same truth in its own language: teams don’t need perfection—they need players willing to be authentic, resilient, and united.

In literature and in sport, the lesson is clear: what saves us is not flawless execution, but the power of trust, creativity, and heart.

Chase perfection and capture excellence. 

Kind and Wicked Domains, and Volleyball

Arguments exist about the presence of kind (highly rule-bound) and wicked domains. Fields such as golf, chess, and classical music are the former while basketball, warfare, and politics would fall into the latter. Kind domains give immediate feedback allowing deliberate practice on skills applied to patterns. Wicked domains inform more random events. 

Volleyball has a relatively simple set of rules. Exceptional players are not  "rule-bound" but improvise, like jazz.  

Volleyball’s Dual Nature

On the surface, volleyball looks like a kind domain:

• The court is measured, the ball and net are standardized.

• Rotations, touches, scoring, and boundaries are tightly rule-bound.

• Skills can be drilled endlessly with clear cause-and-effect feedback (serving errors, hitting percentage, blocking touches).

But once competition starts, volleyball takes on a wicked character:

• Dynamic interactions: Unlike golf or tennis singles, every point is a six-on-six negotiation. The ball can be attacked in countless ways, with timing, angle, and deception constantly shifting.

• Uncertain feedback: A well-executed set may be blocked. A poorly formed dig might ricochet perfectly for a kill. Effort ≠ outcome in any simple way.

• Opponent-driven adaptation: Teams adjust defensive schemes, blockers “read” hitters, servers target weak passers. Each adjustment begets a counter-adjustment.

• Improvisation under constraint: Broken plays (off-system balls, scrambles) often determine outcomes. Exceptional players succeed by inventing solutions on the fly—more like jazz than classical performance.

Volleyball as Jazz, Not Sheet Music

• Classical analogy (kind domain): A violinist in an orchestra must execute notes as written, just as a volleyball player must master serves, passes, and spikes.

• Jazz analogy (wicked domain): Great volleyball resembles a jam session—players riff within a structure, responding to what others do in real time. A setter improvises tempo or location; a hitter adjusts midair; defenders anticipate rather than react.

The Argument for Wickedness

Volleyball appears kind but reveals wickedness. It blends rule-bound skills with emergent complexity. Players who only master the “rules” (mechanics, drills) plateau. The greats—think Karch Kiraly, Giba, Jordan Larson—are improvisers, constantly making reads and creating advantages out of chaos.

In other words: volleyball is not chess on a court—it’s jazz in motion.

• Servers can increase complexity with placement, topspin, sidespin, or combinations. 
• Setters make decisions to play the two-ball for winners or to keep balls from going into the net. 
• Attackers read defenses quicker and alter the attack.
• Defenders make plays with one-arm, pancakes, or even kick the ball alive. 

Lagniappe. Become the best version of yourself. 

MaxPreps AI Generated Summary

All opinions expressed in the blog are mine. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization. 

MaxPreps is a clearinghouse for high school sports information, dependent on input from coaches or other team public relations. 

Here's the MaxPreps AI summary of the Masco match.

Image generated with ChatGPT Plus

 

The Hercules Principle (by Sahil Bloom)

Read widely. Here's Sahil Bloom with "The Hercules Principle."

Excerpt:

No one is coming to save you. No one will fix your problems. No one will change your mindsets. No one will hand you the things you want in life. It's just you. It's all on you.

Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote:

“Nothing helps; I must help myself, or I am finished.”

"Control what you can control" appears as a theme across literature and storytelling. 

• If you read "The Jungle" in high school, that is a theme..."work harder."
• It's a first principle in Stoic philosophy. 
• It's a core concept for many athletes. 
• Central to Charlie Jones's "That's Outside My Boat: Letting Go of What You Can't Control"
• "The Boys in the Boat" an epic true story about the intersection of the Great Depression, 1930's Germany, and the U.S. Men's Olympic Crew Team

You can't control the opponent's serve, only your receive. You can't control the opponent's block, only your attack. Aside from attitude, the only full controllable in volleyball is your serve. 

Lagniappe. I asked ChatGPT Plus for other examples: 

The Stoic principle “control what you can control”—focusing on your own choices, attitudes, and responses while accepting what lies outside your influence—has inspired many books and films. Here’s a list across both domains:

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📚 Books

• Meditations by Marcus Aurelius – the classic source. Aurelius constantly reminds himself to act with virtue and accept what fortune brings.

• The Enchiridion by Epictetus – concise Stoic handbook; its opening line is the clearest articulation of this tenet.

• The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday – modern application of Stoicism, emphasizing turning adversity into advantage by focusing only on controllable responses.

• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl – Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, underscores the ultimate freedom: choosing one’s attitude despite suffering.

• Atomic Habits by James Clear – though not explicitly Stoic, it embodies the idea that daily choices and habits are within your control, not outcomes.

• Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales – explores how survivors in life-or-death situations succeed by controlling their mindset when external events spiral out of control.

• Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins – memoir of building mental toughness by focusing on internal discipline rather than external obstacles.

---

🎬 Films

• Bridge of Spies (2015) – Mark Rylance’s character Rudolf Abel repeatedly says, “Would it help?” when asked if he worries—pure Stoicism in action.

• The Martian (2015) – stranded astronaut Mark Watney survives by calmly solving problems step by step, never wasting energy on the uncontrollable.

• Cast Away (2000) – Tom Hanks’ character embodies perseverance by adapting to his circumstances rather than railing against them.

• Invictus (2009) – Mandela, even after decades in prison, chooses forgiveness and leadership over resentment.

• Unbroken (2014) – Louis Zamperini survives brutal POW conditions through mindset, refusing to let his captors control his spirit.

• Groundhog Day (1993) – Phil Connors learns that he can’t change the situation (reliving the same day), but he can change his own choices and character.

• Cool Hand Luke (1967) – Paul Newman’s Luke resists being broken by external control, embodying the Stoic defiance of spirit.

• Rocky Balboa (2006) – Rocky’s speech to his son: “It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

Stats Are In

Melrose - Masco game stats

Highlights:

Sabine Wenzel with 21 kills followed by Adriana (7) and Emme (6)

Sadie Smith with 32 assists

Serve percent at 85% with 15 errors

Sadie led with 8 digs

Santoriello, Burns, and Dautovic with 14, 13, and 12 receives

Game 5: Melrose 3 Masconomet 2

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only." - Charles Dickens, "A Tale of Two Cities"

I described the win as Dickensian. 

Melrose traveled to Masco (5-4) with their superstar Cate Wettstone, looking to derail Melrose's two-game win streak. Melrose left bruised but victorious 25-16, 25-19, 16-25, 22-25, and 15-13.

The win lifts Melrose's record to 5-3 and extends their winning streak to three.

Melrose dominated the first two sets with consistent and aggressive play with superior play from Sabine Wenzel, strong serving from Emme Boyer, and at least six kills from Adriana Santoriello. 

Masco refused go away. They opened the third set with a 15-2 edge, unabated by a pair of Melrose timeouts. Melrose went ice cold defensively in the third set, but closed on a 14-10 edge to restore hope. 

Melrose played the fourth set playing mildly uphill with several point deficits. MVB fought back to lead 21-20 but couldn't close out the Chieftains. It felt as though service errors were an issue. 

Melrose trailed the tiebreaker 0-1 but erupted on a 7-1 spurt to lead 7-2, only to squander it leveling the score level at 7. Melrose took the edge 8-7 at the switch but the teams traded points to a tie at 10. Elise Marchais had the biggest kill of her career to put Melrose up 14-12. Masco then narrowed it to 14-13. With All-Scholastic Wettstone serving cautiously to avoid an error, Melrose got a clean receive and pass to setter Sadie Smith. She delivered a strike to Sabine Wenzel who slammed home the game winner. 

Melrose notes:

• The Sadie to Sabine connection delivered the expected high number of kills necessary for Melrose to compete against winning teams. Sadie also showed spectacular defensive hand-eye coordination. 
• Coach Scott Celli continues to tinker with lineups looking for more scoring punch without sacrificing defense. Sophomores Ella Friedlaender and Elise Marchais both got more action. Ella is a powerful athlete who generated some big swings. 
• For the most part junior libero Anna Burns and freshman Danni DiGiorgio took care of their business in the back. 
• Emme Boyer had a strong service game at times and her blocking helped keep Wettstone below her usual hitting average. 
• Freshman Alisa Dautovic had another solid effort serving. 
• The biggest beneficiary of the Wenzel-Boyer middle attack is freshman outside hitter Adriana Santoriello. Freed from "double block jail," she likely had 8-9 kills and several service aces. She also has the responsibility of playing "all-around" without substitution. 

Melrose's youth movement is apparent. During crunch time they had senior Sabine, junior Anna Burns, three sophomores with Sadie, Elise, and Ella, and freshman Adriana on the court. 

Melrose travels to Watertown Monday. 

Next week's schedule:

Power Rankings (Initial)

The initial power rankings are out with Melrose checking in at 20, largely on the strength of opponent rankings. ML12 teams Burlington (8th), Wakefield (12th), and Reading (14th) are ahead of them. 

Winchester (11th) and Belmont (23rd) are in Division 1. 

For now, the power ratings don't come into play. At the end of the season, they determine seeding and home court. Getting into the top sixteen guarantees a home game. 

Over the past few seasons, power rankings have enjoyed a significant predictive value in determining playoff matches. Not always, as Melrose has pulled off two road upsets to win sectional titles. 

Stat Leaders

The way to pile up stats intersects skill (efficiency) and opportunity. Play more sets and get more chances.

Sadie Smith checks in at #32 in assists and Sabine Wenzel is among the Commonwealth's leaders in kills, despite fewer sets than other leaders. 

 

Bonus Post - Apple Dutch Baby

Regular readers know that "man does not live by volleyball alone."

Here's a recipe for a breakfast or brunch treat, apple Dutch baby from Lee Ann Wilkes. I use an oven-tolerant pan for easier clean-up. Also great when you have a couple of apples that need cooking. 

Ingredients

• ▢4 Tbsp butter
• ▢2-3 Gala apples sliced thinly
• ▢3/4 cup flour
• ▢3/4 cup milk
• ▢1/2 tsp salt
• ▢1/4 tsp baking powder
• ▢1 Tbsp sugar
• ▢4 eggs

Cinnamon Topping:

• ▢1/3 cup sugar
• ▢2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 F oven.
• Slice apples into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Place butter into a 12″ cast iron frying pan and place in the oven to melt butter.
• In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk and eggs and whisk to combine. or place in a blender and pulse a few times to combine.
• Place the sliced apples into the bottom of the hot pan on top of the melted butter. Pour egg mixture over apples.
• Work quickly so that the pan remains hot.
• Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the egg mixture evenly.
• Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.