2026 MAIS 2AA COACH OF THE YEAR
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Coach Wayne Hudson has been named 2026 MAIS Class AA Division I Coach of the Year.
Trojans Historic Championship Run Under Coach Wayne Hudson
By Chuck Edwards
After nearly three decades away from the sidelines, Coach Wayne Hudson returned to coaching in June 2025 at Central Holmes Christian School—the very place where his coaching journey began 46 years earlier in 1979. Guided by an unwavering faith and a lifelong commitment to serving others, Hudson balanced his roles as pastor, ministry leader, and mentor while stepping back into basketball to rebuild the Trojans boys program. Hudson’s coaching roots run deep in Mississippi high school sports. He started at Central Holmes, then moved on to East Holmes Academy, where he captured a boys basketball state AA championship in 1990 and a girls AA runner-up finish in state in 1994. After stepping away 29 years ago (in 1997) from coaching to focus on ministry, his return marked a profound full-circle moment: leading the program where it all began, now with the added personal joy of coaching two of his grandsons—junior Mark Grayson Cain and freshman Carter Cain—alongside a group of determined young men.
The 2025–2026 season began with low expectations. The Trojans were in full rebuild mode, returning just two starters: juniors Wilkes Rutledge and Kelton Kinsey. Mark Grayson Cain entered the season with growing confidence after his sophomore year, when he saw limited action early but he steadily earned more playing time and several starts as the year progressed last year. Preston Carnathan returned after skipping his junior year, stepping in as a key starter and providing valuable leadership as the team’s lone senior starter. A late addition, Malachi Hogan—an unknown who had never played organized school basketball—enrolled just before the school year and quickly became a dominant inside force. Freshman Carter Cain also contributed to the family legacy on the roster. John Franklin Johnson, who moved up from the freshman ranks as a rising sophomore, provided valuable minutes in the post during the championship run, adding depth and energy to the frontcourt. Like many small schools, the offseason was fragmented by football commitments, but talent surfaced once practices intensified. Past Central Holmes teams had shown flashes—legendary Coach Durwin Carpenter guided boy squads to three straight state title games from 1992–94 without a title win, and a talented #1 seed two years earlier fell short in North State. The boys basketball program had never claimed a state championship (though the girls did win the MPSA State A title in 1994 under Carpenter), leaving a legacy of near-misses that fueled the hunger for breakthrough. Under Hudson’s steady hand, the Trojans leveled up. Hogan routinely posted double-doubles with his presence in the paint. Kinsey grew stronger, handling pressure at point guard without turning it over. Rutledge and Cain displayed athleticism, slashing drives, and a reliable mid-range touch. The team blended gritty post play—with contributions from Hogan, Johnson, and others—with fast-paced guard action, always anchored by relentless defense. The road wasn’t smooth. Early losses included a district matchup against Manchester, and the Trojans faced tough district opponent Delta Streets Academy twice—falling 84-52 on the road on January 5 and then in a closer heartbreaker at home on January 15, 59-62 (after leading late in one of those contests by double digits before a collapse).
They finished third in their district, then a brutal ice storm in late January shut down school for days, canceled the district tournament, and left them without games or full practices for 13 days amid power outages. Yet Hudson’s influence shone through: a blend of praise, correction, discipline, and unshakeable faith prepared the team for adversity. In North State play, they escaped a tense first-round home win over Canton Academy (51-47, their closest game), then dominated top seeds—including a key victory over Delta Academy—en route to the North State title. Momentum carried into the state semifinals against River Oaks Academy, where a blistering start (27-9 first quarter) helped them withstand a late rally for a 59-50 win. The championship game tested everything. Down early 15-5 and 18-8 against Lamar Christian, the Trojans stayed composed—no panic, just steady execution. Kinsey slashed for points and drained threes, Hogan dominated inside, and the team fought back to lead 36-31 at halftime. The second half belonged to them: they pushed the margin past 10 and closed with a dominating 60-43 victory on February 14, 2026, as an elated Hogan dribbled out the clock.
It was the first boys basketball state championship in Central Holmes Christian School history—AA-Division 1 (MAIS)—and Hudson’s second career title. This wasn’t just about wins; it was a testament to faith-driven leadership, grit, and purpose. Hudson’s return revitalized the program, instilled poise in moments of pressure (especially against familiar district foes like Delta Streets), and gave this entire roster a chance to achieve what previous talented teams could not. In the end, it all came full circle for Coach Wayne Hudson. Starting his career at Central Holmes in 1979, stepping away for nearly three decades to pursue his ministry calling, and returning to Central Holmes in June of 2025. Earlier that same year, he also answered God’s call to lead a church replant in Holmes County known as The Ridge, which held its first service in January 2025. Hudson finally delivered the breakthrough the Trojans had long awaited: their first-ever boys state championship. For Coach Hudson, this historic triumph reflects a life devoted to serving God and others, now forever etched in Trojan history as he guides the next generation toward even greater heights.
Adding to the story’s feel-good ending, senior leader Preston Carnathan—as the team’s only senior starter—signed a golf scholarship with East Mississippi Community College, capping a standout high school career that included major contributions to the Trojans’ historic hoops title and prior success on the golf course, where he, along with his teammate John Franklin Johnson, helped Central Holmes capture the MAIS 3A state golf championship in 2024.
