Central football

2010 was a turnaround year for Cape Girardeau Central High School's football team.

Central went 10-2 this season, with its only losses against Sikeston. The team also won its first playoff game since 2002 -- an incredible feat since going 0-10 last season and 1-9 in the year before.

Much of Central's success can be attributed to the leadership of coach Rich Payne.

Payne, who serves as the director of the Career and Technology Center, recently decided to step down as Central's coach. While he'll no doubt be missed, the school has hired a well qualified replacement in Nathan Norman, who served as an assistant coach under Payne.

Norman, a 1996 Jackson High School graduate, previously coached at Jackson before working in strength and conditioning at the University of Mississippi for a year.

Congratulations to coach Payne for turning around Central's football program, and all the best to coach Norman as he looks to continue Central's winning ways next season.