Payne no longer GHS coach

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For the remainder of the season, the Gonzales volleyball team will have different leadership.

Four-year head coach Kim Payne was removed from her coaching duties last Friday just hours before the Lady Apaches left for their match at La Grange. Sarah Moreno will coach Gonzales (10-22, 1-7 in District 26-3A) on an interim basis for the remainder of the year, and served as the interim for the team’s matches against La Grange (lost 3-0) and Cuero (lost 3-1).

“I met with (girls athletic coordinator) Coach (Cully) Doyle and we decided that this change needed to be made at this time,” Gonzales athletic director Ricky Lock said.

Lock also said that a time table has not been set on when a new volleyball coach will be hired. He declined to comment any further on the situation.

A year ago, Payne guided the Lady Apaches to their first playoff appearance since 2007 and a 15-14 finish with a 3-1 loss to Devine in the bi-district round of the Class 3A state playoffs. Gonzales overcame a 2-5 start in district play to win four of its last five matches to force a three-way tie for third between Cuero and Pleasanton.

The Lady Apaches then beat Cuero (3-0) and Pleasanton (3-1), respectively, on back-to-back nights to claim the third-place playoff spot.

The loss to Devine capped a stretch where the Lady Apaches played four matches in eight days.

With seven returning lettermen from the 2011 team back for this season, including six seniors, hopes were high for Gonzales. The Lady Apaches went into 26-3A play with a 9-15 record – mostly from playing a rigorous nondistrict schedule – but they couldn’t get on track in district play as their only league win thus far was at Cuero last month.

Payne became Gonzales’ volleyball coach in 2009 when the current group of seniors was freshmen. She did not return phone calls from The Inquirer to discuss the situation.

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