AUGUSTA — Cony quarterback Taylor Heath and receiver Jordan Roddy have developed a special relationship on the football field

Part of it stems from the fact that they’re close friends while a good portion relies on talent. Heath has a strong, accurate arm and Roddy has the moves to get open, great hands and the speed to pull away from defenders.

Friday night against Hampden Academy, the pair combined for five touchdown passes as the Rams routed the Broncos 61-26 in a game that keeps their playoff hopes alive.

With games remaining against Skowhegan and Gardiner, Cony is 2-4. Hampden falls to 1-5.

Heath finished with seven touchdown passes in all and ran for another as the Rams scored on their first nine possessions. The Cony senior connected on 15 of 20 for 252 yards.

“I put the ball up and they make plays for me,” said Heath, who has 18 touchdown passes this season. “They make me look good. I can’t thank them enough.”

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Twelve of Heath’s scoring tosses have gone to Roddy, some short, some long and some improvised. Friday, Roddy caught scoring passes of 20, 18, 7 and 55 yards in the first half and one for 23 in the third quarter, finishing with nine catches for 187 yards. He also added a 45-yard punt return to set up another score.

“We have good chemistry,” Roddy said. “It came pretty quick last year, even though I was out soon and only played three games. We’re pretty close through basketball and all the other sports we play together.”

The Rams knocked the Broncos down early and never let them up, jumping out to a 27-0 lead in the first quarter.

The Rams ran the ball for most of their opening drive, relying on senior Jason Barnes, who rushed for 80 yards and 17 carries.

“We sort of take what the defense is giving us,” Cony coach B.L. Lippert said. “We saw they thinned out the box and played two high safeties so we thought we could establish ourselves on the ground a little bit.”

Heath’s first completion of the game went to Roddy for 20 yards and a score. Cameron Dunlop added the first of seven conversion kicks to make it 7-0. A fumble recovery by Devon Thomas and a well-executed onside kick gave the Rams two more quick possessions in the first quarter. Heath passed to Michael Wozniak for one score and Barnes rushed for another. Roddy’s punt return late in the quarter set up a 5-yard sweep for a score by Heath. Quarterback Casey Sudback was Hampden’s most effective weapon. The senior rushed for 136 yards on 14 carries and scored on touchdown runs of 59 and 11 yards. Tyler Knights scored the Broncos’ other touchdown on an 80-yard kick return.

Roddy scored three times in the second quarter, once on a juggling catch in the right corner and on a back-breaker of 55 yards with 18 seconds in which he caught the ball on the sideline and hooked back inside to elude two defenders.

The Rams led 47-12 at the half and didn’t plan to throw in the third quarter but were twice forced into third and long situations. Heath connected on both his attempts in the second half getting great catches from Elijah Dutil of 21 yards and Roddy of 23.

“It keeps us in the playoff hunt,” Lippert said of the outcome. “Our kids came out and played pretty well and physically we ran the ball pretty well. Taylor Heath’s a pretty good player and Jordan Roddy is pretty special when he gets the football in his hands.”


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