PEABODY — At last, football was back at Coley Lee as Peabody stormed the field for the first time since last fall.
And Friday night, it was all Tanners, who defeated Melrose, 34-13, in a dominant Week 1 performance.
Melrose was held scoreless in the second half against Peabody pressure – and a raucous environment.
“We have to keep rolling. The bar was set. The expectations for this team are completely different since I took over 12 years ago,” said Peabody coach Mark Bettencourt. “The goal is to win.”
Peabody running back Gabryel Santos put on a show on the ground, finishing with three touchdowns – all from within the 5-yard line.
Quarterback Luke Maglione of the Tanners was strong through the air with a 20-yard touchdown pass to junior captain Jayne Jean-Pierre, who later came up with a timely interception that set up a Caio Santos 7-yard touchdown to ice the game.
You could say, the Tanners looked like a team to be reckoned with.
“Some of these players are four-year players who have waited their turn, and now, are making the most of it,” Bettencourt said.
Maximillan Lanciani scored two touchdowns for Melrose, but that’s all the opposition got in this one.
Peabody returns home against Winchester next Friday.
Owen Finn is a student at Endicott College studying journalism
