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Wallace-Rose Hill Coach Jack Holley Retires

Jack Holley, the winningest coach in NC high school history, is walking away from the sidelines after 44 years

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May 15, 2007

Jack Holley, the legendary football coach at Wallace-Rose Hill and winner of more games than any coach in North Carolina history, has decided to retire.

“He’s been around for 44 years - that’s a long time,” said Wallace-Rose Hill principal M.D. Guthrie, who said Holley informed him of the decision last week.

Holley won 379 games at the high school level, a state record, but never won a state title. His Bulldogs lost to Thomasville by one point in the state 1-AA championships in 2004 and 2005.

But Guthrie said Holley wasn’t driven by trying to return for another year and another shot at a title.

“That’s not as important to him as the everyday being around the kids,” Guthrie said. “He loves to win but he showed a lot of class [in the two losses].

“Winning, that wasn’t his ultimate goal. His ultimate goal was to help kids and be around them.”

Holley, 68, began coaching in 1964 at Tabor City High and also coached at Hallsboro and South Columbus. His teams were known for being tough, aggressive squads that played great defense, depended on the run and rarely made mistakes.

Holley could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Guthrie said he is just beginning to consider who will take Holley's place as the Bulldogs' coach.

"You can't replace somebody like that," he said.

• Web Editor: Ryan Craig

Most Recent Comments

By robster
Posted May 16, 5:25 p.m.

Rank: Sports Legend
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Joined: May, 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC

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Anyone from Pasture Branch?

By Faison
Posted May 16, 4:13 p.m.

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Location: Morrisville, NC

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I graduated in 1999 mythoughts22.

By ctrl+alt+delete
Posted May 16, 3:21 p.m.

Rank: Towel Boy
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@scoop

JJ Miller is my cousin and I went to school with Callie Wade she was a year behind me but we use to hang around the same people...aint the world just small? LOL

By Scoop
Posted May 16, 3:20 p.m.

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@Geisha Girl

I got a lot of family in the Deep Bottom and Chinquapin areas. I use to hang out with JJ Miller from time to time and I am kin to Callie Wade (well I guess her last name is Mints now)

By ctrl+alt+delete
Posted May 16, 3:14 p.m.

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Location: Raleigh, NC

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@scoop

It wasnt like there was a lot of places to hang out in the area. But when I do go home I see how Wallace is trying to "move-on-up" so to speak. LOL...I am from that Deep Bottom tribe that went to school at Chinquapin but grad from East Duplin...lol