It was a second quarter to remember for Athol’s Aidan Melanson.
With the Bears and Palmer scoreless after 15 minutes Melanson — Athol’s signal caller — took over the game. The junior threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter alone, each one to a different receiver, to help the Bears take a 27-0 lead at the half.
The Athol defense didn’t allow the Panthers to get into the end zone, with the Bears picking up a 27-0 victory at O’Brien Field.
Melanson got Athol (3-3, 1-2) going by hitting fellow junior Dom Pope in the flat. Pope did the rest, using his speed to weave through the Palmer (1-5, 1-2) defense and in for a score from 48 yards out, with Bernie LeBlanc’s extra point giving the Bears a 7-0 lead.
The Athol defense got a stop and on the first play on the Bears ensuing drive, Melanson hit Raydin Sousa over the middle and he beat the Palmer defense into the end zone for an 88-yard score to make the lead 13-0.
Later in the frame Athol drove down and Melanson connected with Hayden Barrieau for a score that put the Bears ahead 20-0 after LeBlanc’s extra point. To close things out Melanson threw a bomb to Aaron Oullet for a 50-yard score that gave Athol its 27-0 lead at the half.
The Bears were unable to produce points in the second half. Barrieau led the way defensively with a pair of interceptions.