Rudesill Wins 850th

Toris Woods (pictured right) scored 27 points to lead Bolivar to an 81-67 victory over MAHS on January 12, giving Bolivar Central Coach Rick Rudesill his 850th career coaching victory.
The 52-year old Rudesill came to Bolivar Central in 1996-1997 after five years at the University School of Jackson. After six years with the boys, he also took over the Bolivar Central girls program in 2002-2003.
His team at USJ, beginning in 1991-1992, was 65-75, and his record at Bolivar Central is 785-498, bringing his total to 850-573.
From 2002-2011, Bolivar Central went 266-65, winning 80% of its games, going to Murfreesboro eight times, losing in the sub-state game the other two times.
Under Rudesill’s leadership, two players (Willie Kemp and Cameron Crisp) have won the TSSAA’s Mr. Basketball and three players (Brian Lake, Willie Kemp, and Jay Murphy) have been named the TSSAA State Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Rudesill, a graduate and four-year starter at Union University in Jackson, is a member of the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame, with his induction in 2015. He played his high school years at Jackson North Side.
Photo by Heather Carlton