The Cony football team is doing more than just opening eyes in Pine Tree Conference Class A these days.

The Rams are also showcasing a complex offense that presents all sorts of headaches for opposing defenses and coaches.

“Each week we’re getting better and better,” Cony coach Robby Vachon said. “The stuff we do on offense, we make it hard on defenses. (Offensive coordinator) B.L. (Lippert) has put in some pretty dynamic stuff. We do a lot of things out there.”

In a 34-7 victory over previously unbeaten Brunswick last Friday, Cony (4-1) spread the ball around with an abundance of different looks in the passing and running games.

The Rams — winners of four straight for the first time since 2007 — threw it deep but also hit big plays in the short passing game. Well-executed screen passes not only led to a touchdown but negated Brunswick’s pass rush.

“We see a lot of different fronts,” Vachon said. “We see three-man fronts, four-man fronts, everything. We have to be smart to change things up.”

Then there is the ground attack led by senior Brandon St. Michel. The Rams picked up big yardage using the option with junior quarterback Ben Lucas showing mobility outside the pocket.

“We’re very diverse,” Vachon said. “We do throw it a lot but we have a dynamic running game. We just do so many different things.”

• • •

Gardiner (3-2) has lost two consecutive games by a combined 11 points.

The Tigers wrapped up a three-game stretch against some tough Pine Tree Conference Class B competition with a tough 19-13 loss to Hampden (4-1) on Friday.

The game came on the heels of a 21-16 setback to Mt. Blue (5-0) and a 21-18 win over Waterville (3-2).

“We’re in the meat of our schedule and we knew this would be tough,” Gardiner coach Matt Burgess said. “We played some good games but we didn’t get to where we wanted to be. We wanted to get as high a seed as possible but losing games like Friday doesn’t help. We continue to play hard and we’ll learn from our mistakes.”

The Tigers next play in Rockland against Oceanside (2-3) on Friday.

• • •

Winthrop (2-3) kept its Western C Campbell Conference playoff hopes alive with a 21-13 win over Telstar.

The Ramblers also scored their first points since defeating Sacopee Valley 46-6 in the season opener Aug. 31.

“Putting the ball in the end zone was huge,” Winthrop coach Joel Stoneton said. “We were getting to a point where we were questioning what we were doing. We would have been eliminated from the playoffs with a loss, so this was pretty big.”

The Ramblers had allowed at least 35 points a game during the previous three weeks before shutting down Telstar.

The return of Tyler Stockford, who broke his collar bone while skiing in the offseason, provided the team a boost. Stockford plays tight end and linebacker.

“We’re starting to get some depth,” Stoneton said. “We have good rotations and we’re finding we have the right personnel in the right spots.”

The Ramblers, who host Boothbay (1-4) on Friday, are ninth in Campbell Conference Crabtree points. The top eight make the playoffs.

“We’re going to have to fight every week.”

• • •

Joel Wells was one of a handful of running backs to receive ample touches last season. This year, he’s part of a revolving backfield in which as many as five players carry the ball.

He had just two carries for 7 yards in a win over Lisbon on Saturday.

However, the speedy Wells still made an impact when he returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

It was his second kickoff return for a score of the season.

“Joel is very gifted in special teams,” Oak Hill coach Stacen Doucette said. “He is a viable threat to score every time the ball is kicked to him. He’s played big for us on special teams. We practice special teams daily. Even if it’s just extra points. Special teams is one of the little things that make your team better.”

• • •

Around the state: Foxcroft is rolling. The Ponies are 5-0 and have four consecutive shutouts. Foxcroft has outscored its opponents, 282-8. The Ponies will try to extend their shutout streak when they travel to Bangor to take on John Bapst, the Little Ten Conference’s other undefeated team… The tightest race in the state right now is for the top spot in the Campbell Conference Class B. Five teams — Westbrook, York, Marshwood, Wells and Greely — are tied for the best record in the league at 4-1. Westbrook and York are tied for first place in the Crabtree point standings. The Blue Blazes and Wildcats play Friday at Westbrook.

Staff writer Travis Lazarczyk contributed to this report.

Bill Stewart — 621-5640

bstewart@centralmaine.com

Copy the Story Link