Payne won’t play Saturday

A knee infection will keep receiver/kickoff man Quorey Payne out of action this week, but the show must go on.

“His knee puffed up a few days ago, so he’s questionable,” Thunder coach Chris MacKeown said Tuesday of the post-and-corner runner.

“He can’t run. If we lose him, it’s a real blow because he brings a lot to the offense. But that’s the only question mark we have right now.”

Ricardo Lenhart (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) is filling in for Payne, the team leader in several categories and franchise record holder, too.

Payne’s status will be re-examined next week before Mahoning Valley plays its penultimate game.

“He’s different than Quorey, but he’s good too,” MacKeown said of Lenhart, a newcomer, as a receiver. Pat Clark will be Payne’s replacement as kickoff returner.

Payne was the team’s all-purpose leader. As scoring leader, he had 31 touchdowns for 186 points and was also the top receiver with 86 receptions for 1299 yards.

Payne’s 72 kickoff runbacks resulted in 1407 yards and 4 TDs.

For a team that’s being outscored by an average of 21.1 points (61.5 opponents/40.4 MVT), that’s trouble.

How MacKeown can keep track of his personnel changes is a miracle, but there’s more.

WR/DB Ray Williams left the team by choice and FB/LB Brenton Brady quit.

“He was having trouble playing up to his standards because of some lingering minor injuries and decided to leave the team for the remainder of the season,” Thunder media relations man Anthony Farris said of Williams, who, in 10 games, had 22 solos, 11 assists and an interception.

Brady indicated to MacKeown that he might depart.

“He told me that he might be leaving and then didn’t show up today,” the coach said of Brady on Tuesday.

Jon Loyte becomes the fullback with TaVoris Horton and Frashon McGee slated to get some time at the position.

It all happened amid the signing of new kicker Brian Palmer and new backup quarterback Tom Zetts.

Brady’s spot was taken by Palmer and Williams was an International Player so he was given a roster exemption.

Also gone is Aaron Turner (6-6, 325), who played against Wilkes-Barre. Turner saw time at tight end and was on special teams and finished with one tackle against the Pioneers on June 27.

Also, defensive end Tim Cheatwood will be back after being inactive for the Wilkes-Barre game.

“Tim will be back and playing,” MacKeown said.

In Peoria — a first-time opponent, MacKeown sees similarities to Manchester, a team that beat Mahoning Valley by the narrowest of margins, 59-53, on June 19.

“Manchester is a team that has some wins similar to Peoria and we turned the ball over six times and lost by six points,” the coach said of MVT’s last game against the Wolves.

Although Mahoning Valley lost by a greater margin against Wilkes-Barre in its last game, MacKeown saw signs of progress that the coach translates into hope for Saturday’s road game.

“I said it before, we’ve just got to get that first win and the rest will come. I feel like we can win our next three. If we play like we did against Wilkes-Barre — and I don’t see why we’d take a step backwards — we’ll win our next three. Even though we’re on the road and winning on the road is tough, I believe we can win.”

After Peoria started a tumultuous sixth season with a record of 1-5 — its worst performance through the first six games in team history, the Pirates decided to relieve Bruce Crowdrey of his duties — but only after the club used a coach-by-committee approach against Green Bay on May 15 and lost, 73-37, to go to 1-6 before hiring Mike Hohensee, who is now 3-3.

Against one of its opponents in common with Mahoning Valley, Peoria split with Albany on successive weekends: winning 63-34 on June 20 and losing 58-20 on June 26.

The Thunder’s only win this season was against Albany, 44-34, in the season opener.

Peoria was one of the few teams to play the Fourth of July weekend when the Pirates beat Quad City, 49-36.

bassetti@vindy.com