Buying a new home is a big deal. For many homeowners, it's one of the most important decisions they ever make. When it comes to such a substantial choice, there are a lot of factors to consider, like:
Getting the answers to those questions can be hard but finding a trustworthy manufactured home company can be even more challenging. Sure, you could settle for a fly-by-night company or a shady mobile home dealer. But if you're like most folks, you want to work with a reliable company that has been in business for years. You need a team of professionals who can answer your questions, address your concerns, and sell you a quality home that will keep your family safe and sound.
Welcome to Ken-Co Homes Inc. - your premier choice for mobile home sales in Wando, SC. Ken-Co Homes has been Lake City's go-to manufactured home since 1974. With several locations in South Carolina, we're the first choice for manufactured homes in the state. As longtime locals in the community, we pride ourselves on honesty, hard work, and running a manufactured home business that you can count on.
There's no secret sauce that makes Ken-Co Homes successful. We work hard, sell the finest Clayton, Destiny, Scotbilt, Homes, and treat our customers like we would like to be treated. That's why, when you meet our team for your home tour, you'll be treated with respect and greeted with a warm smile. Whether you have questions regarding financing or the fit and finish of a floorplan, we'll maintain that same level of kindness, courtesy, and honesty. That way, you know for sure that you have invested in a top-notch manufactured home that your family will love.
Unlike other manufactured home dealers, we have a full selection of Clayton Homes for sale with attractive floor plans to fit your unique lifestyle. When you choose Ken-Co Homes, you're also choosing:
We offer our valued customers a $500 guarantee that we will meet or beat ANY competitor who has a lower price on one of our homes with the same options. Don't believe us? Contact our office today!
With decades of combined experience, our team has the tools and know-how to make your buying process smooth and stress-free.
Buying a home can be challenging, especially with travel logistics and other factors at play. Our team can help answer any questions you have about buying a home and transporting it to a park or piece of private land.
When you buy from Ken-Co Homes, you're investing in a high-quality product that your family will love for years to come. With more than a dozen home choices, you're sure to find a new home that matches your lifestyle.
We'll work with you one-on-one to ensure you get the home of your dreams. If you have questions or concerns once you move in, give us a call - we're here to help.
We offer detail-oriented, experienced set-up crews that make living life in your new home easy and efficient.
At Ken-Co Homes, we offer flexible financing options to help make buying your dream home a reality.
Whether you're looking for a smaller two-bedroom manufactured home or a large, luxurious four-bedroom manufactured home, our friendly consultants are ready to help you build the home of your dreams.
"Is there a difference between a mobile home and a manufactured home?" is one of the most common questions we get online and in person. Today, many people use mobile home and manufactured home interchangeably. That's understandable because both types of homes share similar features and benefits for homeowners. However, understanding the minor differences can be valuable when searching for a new place to call home.
Unlike site-built homes, manufactured homes are built in a factory. Once completed, they're shipped to a specific location where the homeowner will live. The term "manufactured home" refers to any factory-built home constructed after June 15, 1976. That date is when the HUD or U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development implemented guidelines centered around manufactured home construction.
HUD code requires manufactured homes to be constructed on a base frame with wheels with a minimum of 320 square feet.
Thanks to fast build times and lower material costs, manufactured homes for sale in Wando, SC is often more cost-effective for home buyers. Compared to traditional site-built homes, many manufactured homes can be up to 35% less than more traditional houses.
Any mobile homes built after June 15, 1976, are considered manufactured homes today, though many people use the term mobile home casually. In the past, these homes were used to travel and were more like the expensive RVs that people use today than true manufactured homes. Back then, mobile homes received a bad reputation due to poor build quality, but they've come a long way since that time. Today, mobile homes are safe, comfortable, and structurally sound, with many types of amenities and floor plans.
Manufactured homes are more popular in the U.S. than ever, and for good reason: prospective homeowners are looking for affordable, quality alternatives to traditional homes. That's especially true today, with inflation on the rise, necessitating more budget-friendly options for anyone who wants to put a roof over their heads.
If you're used to living in a traditional, site-built home, you may be wondering what the advantages are of buying a manufactured home. Here are just a few of the most common benefits of buying a manufactured home:
When you boil it down to the basics, buying a new home is all about the money. One of the most attractive reasons for buying a manufactured home is that they are often much less expensive than traditional site-built homes. Today, manufactured housing is considered a crucial part of the housing shortage solution and a viable option with inflation rising. According to statistics, the average square-foot cost of a site-built home is $107, while the average price is only $49 in a manufactured home. Whether you're sticking to a strict budget or your finances have changed due to poor economic conditions, going manufactured might be your best choice.
Owning a manufactured home gives the homeowner long-term living options. Because basic manufactured homes are usually very affordable, families with enough land can start with a small home and add additional units as their needs change. Manufactured homes are also great as starter homes, especially for families that plan on building a permanent structure on their land in the future. Though it could be logistically challenging, manufactured homes can also be moved to a different site if the initial one was on rented property.
Manufactured homes have received a bad rap over the last few decades. In reality, most manufactured homes are purpose-built for longevity with structural integrity. Every manufactured home built today is subject to the HUD code adopted in 1976. This code is the only federally-mandated code in existence. It was designed to ensure that manufactured homes meet strict standards regarding fire safety, structural design, energy efficiency, transportation to home sites, and overall construction. All manufactured homes sold in the U.S. have a permanent red seal to confirm they meet HUD standards.
When you buy a manufactured home, you may be able to move in faster than you would via traditional routes. Some manufactured homes are even move-in ready in less than 45 days. Compared to a traditional home, once a new manufactured home is built in the factory, buyers usually find that installation is a quick process. Once the manufactured home is delivered, utility work usually moves quickly, regardless of whether you're moving to a park or transporting your home to a piece of land. Before you know it, you're eating, sleeping, and enjoying life in your new manufactured home.
When asked about the pros and cons, many buyers cite energy efficiency as one of the most significant benefits of owning a manufactured home. In general, manufactured housing is more energy efficient than traditional because HUD mandates ensure that homes have high energy efficiency ratings.
These ratings are achieved through upgraded insulation installation, on-demand water heaters, and energy-efficient windows. These upgrades often make entire manufactured homes Energy Star certified. It's no surprise that manufactured homes are 27% more efficient than they used to be with other additions like energy-saving appliances in kitchens and bathrooms.
If you've ever lived in an apartment complex before, chances are you heard sounds and noises through your walls that you never wanted to hear. If you hate hearing your neighbors and despise thin walls, looking for mobile home sales in Wando, SC is a great idea. Why? Manufactured homes are typically built using separate modules, which reduces sound transference from room to room. When two or more modules are combined and insulated separately, buyers enjoy an even quieter, stronger home with less outside noise.
If there's one disappointing aspect of manufactured homes, the stigma seems to surround them. Yes, mobile homes from 30 or more years ago aren't exactly marvels of construction and deserve to be criticized. However, modern manufactured homes are cut from a different cloth and are often every bit as safe and luxurious as site-built homes.
Here are some of the most common (and annoying) mobile home myths debunked:
Modern manufactured homes are factory-built homes crafted with quality materials that meet comprehensive federal construction and safety standards. These standards, called the "HUD Code," outline how the homes must be built, including safety guidelines. For example, manufactured home builders must take strict measures to ensure their homes are resistant to wind. In terms of hurricanes and tornados, having such measures in place can prevent a tragedy from happening.
The bottom line is that manufactured homes are plenty safe and provide a quality product to people who want a lower-cost option over traditional housing.
One of the most repeated myths surrounding manufactured homes is that they are in poor shape and have an overall poor quality. Today, many manufactured homes are built with quality materials and care. It's not unusual to find a manufactured home with luxurious amenities and features lie state-of-the-art kitchens, high-end appliances, and chic open floor plans. At Ken-Co Homes, we can provide you with a complete list of available upgrades and amenities for you to enjoy in your new home.
Perhaps it's due to their popularity and lower prices, but we often hear that it's hard to find manufactured homes for sale. As seasoned home dealers, we can say this is categorically false. Whether you head over to Google and search for "mobile homes near me in Wando, SC," or simply head to Ken-Co Homes' website, you'll see plenty of homes to choose from. Contact our office today for a full list of our homes for sale!
When it comes to home prices in today's day and age, manufactured homes are among the most affordable options available.
That's because manufactured homes cost less to construct than site-built homes, with the average price costing $92K for new construction and $60K for a pre-owned manufactured home, according to recent data. The cost of a traditional home is much higher, with an average of $408K, according to Statista data from 2021. Even though manufactured home living costs change depending on the community, they're often much less expensive than their site-built cousins in the long run.
This myth parallels the stereotype that manufactured homes are cheap and poorly built. Unfortunately, many people still believe that living in a manufactured home community isn't safe. They think that the parks are run down and riddled with reprobates. In reality, many manufactured home parks mimic gated communities with 24-hour security and mandated quiet hours. Some manufactured home neighborhoods even offer community-wide amenities like spas and pools. If you're a fan of the gated community lifestyle but don't want to pay hundreds of thousands for a site-built home, a manufactured home community could be your best bet.
Are you giving serious thought to buying a manufactured home for sale in South Carolina? You're not alone - more than 365K people in the Palmetto State live in manufactured homes. At Ken-Co Homes Inc., we're not your average run-of-the-mill manufactured home dealer. We only do business with manufacturing partners committed to building top-quality products that our customers are proud to own.
If you're looking for modern amenities, energy-efficient appliances, unique floorplans, and homes constructed with quality materials, Ken-Co Homes is the company for you. Contact our office today to learn more about our beautiful Clayton homes for sale in Wando, SC.
The Wando High School wrestling team finished 16th at the AAAAA South Carolina State Wrestling Championships on Feb. 24 and 25. One Warrior came home as an individual state champion and another a runner-up in their respective weight classes.Senior Pierce Carpenter-Kydd finished the season as the state champion in the 170-pound weight class. Coach Adam Schneider said Carpenter-Kydd “put in the work” in the off-season. The senior placed third in last year’s tournament and was determined to place first in his final team...
The Wando High School wrestling team finished 16th at the AAAAA South Carolina State Wrestling Championships on Feb. 24 and 25. One Warrior came home as an individual state champion and another a runner-up in their respective weight classes.
Senior Pierce Carpenter-Kydd finished the season as the state champion in the 170-pound weight class. Coach Adam Schneider said Carpenter-Kydd “put in the work” in the off-season. The senior placed third in last year’s tournament and was determined to place first in his final team season.
“He’s not a kid that’s coming in to fool around. He comes in and has his fun but when it’s time to practice and it’s time to work, he’s one of the hardest workers we have,” Schneider said. “He was a little down last year after taking third. Obviously was happy with taking third, but his goal was really to be state champion and you can really see the offseason work that he put in.”
The tournament was also the first official girl’s state championship. Wando has five girls on the varsity wrestling team, three of whom qualified for state. They could choose to wrestle in the AAAAA boys’ division or participate in the girl’s tournament, which included teams from all schools, regardless of class. All chose to wrestle in the girl’s bracket, making sophomore Cassidy Warren Wando’s first wrestler to place in the girl’s tournament.
Warren, who is also a cheerleader in the fall, placed second in the 120-pound weight class. Schneider said he immediately noticed her tenacity when she joined the team this winter.
“I think from day one what I realized is how tough she is. Obviously, she’s a very good athlete. She’s a cheerleader, but she’s very tough. It’s not one of those sports where, you know, you can go out there and kind of walk through practice. You kind of have to fully immerse yourself and give it your all and she never complained. She wrestled with the guys, with the girls. It didn’t really matter who it was,” Schneider said.
The Wando Warriors made it to the Sweet 16 in the tournament, ending a tough season marked by injury and the loss of some of their starting wrestlers.
“We had a couple of starters that did not come out to us and that were kind of expected to come back out this year,” Schneider said. “We had some kids really step up which was outstanding, even through some of the injuries. We had some very good wrestlers kind of get banged up this year, get hurt, so a couple of them didn’t get to finish their senior seasons, which is a bummer.”
Though the tournament signaled the end of the varsity season, individual and club wrestling continues year round. Carpenter-Kydd and senior Jacob Pelbath were selected to compete in the 2023 SC North/South All-Star Wrestling Classic on March 3 and 4. Schneider was also named a coach of the 5A/1A-2A South All-Star team.
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A solid contingent of Charleston-area high school football players helped guide the South Carolina team to a 17-13 win over North Carolina in the 86th annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, played at Spartanburg High School on Saturday afternoon.Leading the way for the South Carolina team was Wando High linebacker Mikey Rosa, who was named the defensive most valuable player after racking up seven tackles, including three tackles for loss.Berkeley head coach Jerry Brown served as the head coach for the South Carolina team. Brown p...
A solid contingent of Charleston-area high school football players helped guide the South Carolina team to a 17-13 win over North Carolina in the 86th annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, played at Spartanburg High School on Saturday afternoon.
Leading the way for the South Carolina team was Wando High linebacker Mikey Rosa, who was named the defensive most valuable player after racking up seven tackles, including three tackles for loss.
Berkeley head coach Jerry Brown served as the head coach for the South Carolina team. Brown played in the Shrine Bowl in 1967 and was a South Carolina assistant in the 2000 game. He finishes with a 3-0 record in the game.
“It was fun, a great week, and the game was even better,” said Rosa, who plans to sign with The Citadel on Wednesday. “We built a good chemistry during the week and I think that was a main reason we won. One of the things Coach Brown talked about when we got here was about leaving the ego at the door. I think we all did that and came together.”
Rosa was one of four linebackers from the Charleston area to play for the Sandlappers, joining Cameron Avery (Cane Bay), Omari Jenkins (Timberland) and Christian Garland (Ashley Ridge).
Jenkins, one of the team captains for the Sandlappers, finished with five tackles, including 2½ tackles for loss. Avery had four tackles and Garland was credited with two tackles.
Fort Dorchester defensive lineman DeAndre Jones tallied four tackles with a sack and Summerville defensive back Michael Jenkins was credited with one tackle.
On offense, Woodland’s Suderian Harrison, a quarterback during the regular season, played wide receiver in the game and had one 10-yard reception. Summerville running back Marquez Spells had 12 yards rushing on three carries.
South Florence quarterback LaNorris Sellers was named the offensive most valuable player. Sellers, currently a Syracuse commit, completed 9 of 13 passes for 121 yards and rushed for 41 yards. Sellers threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Clemson commit Tyler Brown of Greenville High.
Another Clemson commit, Dutch Fork running back Jarvis Green, had 58 yards rushing on 15 carries. His 2-yard run with 4:40 left in the game proved to be the game-winning score for the Sandlappers.
South Carolina finished the game with 291 total yards while the defense limited the Tarheels to 182 total yards. The only negative in the win for South Carolina was 15 penalties for 120 yards, including several personal foul flags.
This year’s game marked the first in the series since 2019. The game was cancelled due to COVID issues in 2020 and 2021.
South Carolina’s initial plan to improve traffic on Interstate 526 and the Long Point Road interchange in Mount Pleasant was met with an outpouring of public opposition, and that’s prompting the state to make revisions.The road work is critical for operations at South Carolina’s busiest port, the Wando Welch Terminal at the end of Long Point Road, and for traffic relief at the busy interchange.The plan calls for new elevated ramps to and from the interstate dedicated to port trucks, and a version presented to ...
South Carolina’s initial plan to improve traffic on Interstate 526 and the Long Point Road interchange in Mount Pleasant was met with an outpouring of public opposition, and that’s prompting the state to make revisions.
The road work is critical for operations at South Carolina’s busiest port, the Wando Welch Terminal at the end of Long Point Road, and for traffic relief at the busy interchange.
The plan calls for new elevated ramps to and from the interstate dedicated to port trucks, and a version presented to the public in 2022 showed that building those ramps could require the demolition of two or three homes in the Tidal Walk subdivision. The subdivision sits along the north side of I-526.
Nearly 540 people submitted comments about those plans in the fall and 59 percent opposed the proposed elevated port ramps, while just half supported the S.C. Department of Transportation’s favored plan known as Alternative 2.
S.C. Department of Transportation Project Manager Joy Riley said the responses showed that people in residential communities north of the interstate were against the proposed elevated ramps and favored keeping port truck traffic on Long Point Road. Unsurprisingly, those living in communities between the highway interchange and the port favored the new ramps, which would remove truck traffic from Long Point Road.
The plans were revised following the survey results, and those changes were outlined at an invitation-only “stakeholders meeting” at the end of November, which included homeowner associations and business owners, plus elected officials and SC Ports representatives.
The revised plans still call for elevated truck ramps, but no longer impact Seacoast Parkway or homes in the Tidal Walk subdivision. Riley said DOT also feels “pretty confident” that an analysis will justify noise walls along the north side of I-526, addressing another concern among residents.
“Noise has always been the number one concern in our neighborhood, along with not wanting any neighbors to lose their houses,” said Grassy Creek resident Lee Lazarus, who has spoken at public meetings about the plans. “Supposedly we’re going to something like a 20-foot wall.”
Under state law, DOT would need Mount Pleasant’s consent for the project. Riley said the town’s approval would likely be sought after another round of public comments following a meeting planned in March, which could prompt more refinements to the plan.
Mayor Will Haynie said the recent revisions addressed the town’s main concerns.
“People were going to lose their homes, and we are very happy that we’re not going to see that,” he said. “Not that there’s no room for improvement — such as turns onto Belle Hall Parkway — but the parts affecting neighborhoods in a major way have been addressed.”
The Belle Hall Parkway issue involves the planned elimination of left turns from Long Point Road to the parkway, where a Waffle House restaurant is located.
That may sound like a small detail, but the parkway is the main entrance to the large subdivision. The elimination of left turns would mean that anyone coming from the interstate would need to drive past the subdivision’s main entrance, then turn on a different road and double back.
Riley said DOT is still looking at alternatives that would allow for left turns there, but so far has not resolved the issue.
The work at I-526 and Long Point Road would be a large road project on its own, but it’s just a small part of the roughly $7 billion Lowcountry Corridor plan to widen the interstate from West Ashley to Mount Pleasant and redesign the interchange of interstates 526 and 26 in North Charleston.
The I-526/Long Point Road project is being addressed in the early years of the larger project partly because traffic has overwhelmed the interchange, and port-related truck traffic regularly backs up on the interstate while trying to exit at Long Point Road.
“It’s a failing interchange because it just cannot process the number of people who are trying to turn left to get to Mount Pleasant, and you have trucks continuously clogging up the interchange as well,” Riley said.
And traffic is expected to increase significantly by 2050.
The next public hearing on the project is tentatively scheduled for March 14, though a time and location have not been announced. The recommended plan, potential impacts on properties, and an analysis of where noise barriers are warranted are among the information that should be presented then.
Until then, “we will be working diligently to assemble the environmental document and move through some critical Federal Highway reviews of our traffic analysis and designs,” Riley said. “All this must be approved before we hold the public hearing in March.”
The leading plan, Alternative 2, would require an estimated 28.5 acres of right of way involving 98 properties, some of which are home to businesses, but no houses. Construction work on the road plan is anticipated in the spring or summer of 2024 and to finish in 2027 or 2028.
Meanwhile, information about the project can be found online at 526lcclongpoint.com, the project team can be emailed at info@526LowcountryCorridor.com, or contacted by regular mail to the attention of Joy Riley, PO Box 191, 955 Park St., Columbia SC 29202-0191.
MOUNT PLEASANT — Mikey Rosa literally grew up around The Citadel’s football program.His grandfather, retired Citadel president Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, remembers the Wando High School linebacker running around Johnson Hagood Stadium as a child.When ...
MOUNT PLEASANT — Mikey Rosa literally grew up around The Citadel’s football program.
His grandfather, retired Citadel president Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, remembers the Wando High School linebacker running around Johnson Hagood Stadium as a child.
When Mikey Rosa put pen to paper and signed an athletic football scholarship to attend the military school on Dec. 21, John Rosa looked on with a sense of pride that only a grandfather can feel.
“Citadel football has been a big part of Mikey’s life,” said John Rosa, who was The Citadel’s president from 2006-18. “This is an exciting day for Mikey and our family. The next four years are going to be special for all of us.”
Maurice Drayton was named The Citadel’s new coach less than a week ago, so the Bulldogs were expected to announce just the signing of Mikey Rosa during the early signing period.
Drayton, who is an assistant coach with the Las Vegas Raiders, will hit the recruiting trail when the NFL regular season is over on Jan. 8.
The Bulldogs are expected to add more players during the traditional football signing period, which begins on Feb. 1.
“Maurice is going to put together a wonderful program and I’m excited that Mikey will be able to be a part of that,” said John Rosa, who played quarterback for the Bulldogs from 1970-72. “Mikey is a lot better player than I ever was.”
It hasn’t been an easy fall for Mikey Rosa, who lost his father, Jonathan, in an automobile accident in September. Mikey wore a Citadel shirt at the signing ceremony that his father had given him.
“I know he’d be beaming today and telling everyone about it,” Mikey Rosa said. “I was raised to overcome adversity by my dad, and I’ve been kind of powering through it with the rest of my family. It’s not easy sometimes, but my faith keeps me going.”
Rosa recorded 213 tackles during his career with Wando. He had 29 tackles for loss, 9½ sacks, 18 quarterback hurries forced six fumbles and had an interception from his linebacker position with the Warriors.
Rosa, who had seven tackles, including three for loss, was named the South Carolina defensive MVP at the recent Shrine Bowl.
“He checks all the boxes,” said Wando football coach Rocco Adrian. “Mikey is dedicated to his craft and is a real student of the game. His work ethic during practices, in the weight room and film study make him a role model for all of his teammates. The Citadel is getting a special player.”
Despite the coaching change, Mikey Rosa said his commitment to The Citadel never wavered.
“It’s where I’m meant to be,” Mikey Rosa said. “I have not talked with Coach Drayton yet, but I’m looking forward to meeting him and start to help him recruit players and put together a class that can win a Southern Conference championship.”
Having his last name around The Citadel might be a burden for some, but it’s a challenge that Mikey said he is going to embrace.
“My last name means a lot at The Citadel,” Mikey said. “I know I’m carrying on a legacy. I want to keep the legacy going and to be great on the football field and start my own chapter.”
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown /High School
Gregory Bryant II ATH 6-1 175 Johnston/Strom Thurmond
Darriel Cannon DB 5-9 165 Pinecrest, Fla./Gulliver Prep
Uriah Howard DL 6-1 265 Bogart, Ga./Prince Ave. Christian
Kendarious Kinard OL 6-3 300 Columbia/AC Flora
Isaiah Mobley WR 6-1 185 Monroe, N.C./Parkwood
Chandler Perry LB 5-9 200 Irmo/Dutch Fork
Andrew Threatt OL 6-3 310 Chesterfield/Chesterfield HS
Steven Zayachkowsky LB 5-10 200 Indian Trial, N.C./Porter Ridge
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown /High School
Tyler Boyce DL 6-0 260 Shelby, N.C. / Shelby
Adonis Garcia DB 6-2 183 Woodstock, Ga. / Woodstock
Jacobi Hatter DB 5-10 180 Columbus, Ga. / Carver
Santana Haynes-Goodman OL 6-5 275 Durham, N.C. / Hillside
Ben Holmes OL 6-1 285 Columbia, S.C. / A.C. Flora
J’Vion “Skoot” Luster DB 5-10 170 Columbus, Ga. / Carver
Pauly Seeley QB 6-0 185 Alma, Mich. / New Hampstead (Ga.)
Will White DB 6-1 183 Pauline, S.C. / Dorman
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown /High School
Dario Melendez Jr DL 6-0 280 Miami/Immaculta-LaSalle
Matt Scicchitano DL 6-4 280 Mount Carmel, Pa./Mount Carmel
Derrick Maxey III DB 5-11 180 Atlanta/Hapeville Charter
Laurence Sullivan Jr. DB 5-10 185 Vicksburg, Miss./Vicksburg HS
Spencer Kishbaugh LB 6-3 210 Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area HS
Wyatt Gedeon LB 6-1 235 Avon Lake, Ohio/St. Edward
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown /High School
David Alabi BAN 6-2 240, Pickerington, Ohio,/ Pickerington
Brody Balliew OL 6-5 265 Calhoun, Ga./Calhoun
AK Burrell DB 6-0 190 Baton Rouge, La./Dutchtown
Caldwell Bussey DE 6-3 252 Hoover, Ala./ Spain Park High School
Brock Chappell TE 6-5 250 Holly Springs, N.C./ Cardinal Gibbons
Ryan Earl LB 6-2 225 Peachtree City, Ga./Trinity Christian
Nehuel Garcia QB 6-3 190 La Mirada, Calif./ La Mirada
Hayden Garner OL 6-5 280 Roanoke Rapids, N.C./ Roanoke Rapids
Raleigh Herbert LB 6-2 215 Cumming, Ga./ West Forsyth
Colton Hinton WR 5-11 175 Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge
John Holbrook WR 6-4 195 Bradenton, Fla., IMG Academy
Brayden Holmes DB 6-1 170 Alpharetta, Ga., Milton
Chris Luna OL 6-3 275 Wesley Chapel, Fla./Tampa Catholic
Brennan Tormey TE 6-7 221 Montgomery, Ala./Pike Road
Marquis Vincent DL 6-1 260 Richmond, Va./Varina High School
Each phone call delivered Shane Todd an unexpected jolt. Four times over the last 14 months, with three in the last three months, the Cane Bay High School baseball coach scooped up his cell phone to get news nobody wants to.Former players Justin Shelton, 26, Quinton Cable, 29, and returning letterman Dillon Moody, 17, passed away way too early. Todd didn’t see any of the punches coming so they caught him flush, right on the gut. To say they were jarring would be an understatement.“Losing a former player is dishearte...
Each phone call delivered Shane Todd an unexpected jolt. Four times over the last 14 months, with three in the last three months, the Cane Bay High School baseball coach scooped up his cell phone to get news nobody wants to.
Former players Justin Shelton, 26, Quinton Cable, 29, and returning letterman Dillon Moody, 17, passed away way too early. Todd didn’t see any of the punches coming so they caught him flush, right on the gut. To say they were jarring would be an understatement.
“Losing a former player is disheartening because you know their life is cut short and you will never get to see them again,” Todd said. “You just reflect on the good times and memories that you have of them and you tell stories often to keep their memories alive.”
Fortunately, there are plenty of those.
Cable played for Todd from 2009-12 and is the program’s career leading hitter and also helped coach the Cobras for five years. Shelton suited up for the Cobras from 2009-13 and was an all-region performer as a senior. Moody would have been an integral part of the 2023 squad as a junior right-handed pitcher and middle infielder.
Losing Moody was the toughest. Whereas Shelton and Cable grew into young men, Moody was just getting started. Todd had to figure out how to talk to his team about it and finding those words was difficult.
“Losing a current player is the hardest because you have to worry about the mindset of your current players because they are dealing with a serious issue and you are trying to help them cope with the tragedy,” Todd said. “Everyone handles loss differently and there isn’t anything in the coaching handbook that covers the loss of a current player.”
Todd absorbed another blow earlier this year, too, when his high school baseball coach Jerry Stoots lost his life in a boating accident in January. The 75-year-old Stoots won more high school baseball games than any coach in South Carolina history. Todd played for Stoots at Stall.
“I am a high school baseball coach because of him and he was always a sounding board for me when I needed to talk to someone or needed advice,” said Todd, a region coach of the year for the fifth time last spring.
Todd and the Cobras have carried on, though, but have not forgotten. You may not see it, but they’ve all changed at least a little bit.
“Our program has been hit hard with loss over the last couple of years and our players and coaches have shown great resolve in being able to maintain focus on the now while keeping these guys’ families in our thoughts and prayers,” Todd said. “They are not outwardly playing for these players but they do understand that life is precious and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.”
The Cobras have not tasted defeat in the regular season and were 3-1 in the preseason. In all, they’ve won eight straight. Moody, who unexpectedly passed away the day after Christmas, would have certainly been a contributor in the hot start.
“They are honoring Dillon in their own ways and we also are doing some things as a team to remember him,” Todd said.
The winning part has come easily. The Cobras improved to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in Region 6-AAAAA by winning 6-0 at Wando High School March 20. Todd’s bunch also has victory celebrations after games against Colleton County (6-1), Bishop England (4-0), Timberland (9-2) and Colleton County (14-4).
“We have had a good start to the season,” Todd said. “We had another good offseason and they competed well in the Diamond Prospects fall league. Some of these guys that were thrown into varsity action a couple years ago are now experienced and they are still just sophomores and juniors. Physically, they are getting to be varsity level guys. We have good depth and that starts with our pitching staff. We have a number of guys returning that have varsity experience and they are a year bigger and stronger. The defense has been helped as well due to the fundamental work in the fall and the offseason weight workouts. We have improved offensively and feel we can compete at the plate one through nine in the lineup instead of relying on one or two guys to carry us.”
The pitching staff’s earned-run average is 1.00.
“That has given the offense some time to get their timing and the bats are starting to come around,” Todd said. “Jackson Brindle, Ethan Dodson and David Barajas have been our starters, with C J Myers, Ryan Brewington and Jered Petty providing help from the bullpen. Connor Hirsch has been used as the back-end guy in the pen and has performed well.”
Brindle hurled a shutout against Wando, scattering six hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Leadoff hitter Cameron Williams, who patrols centerfield, collected three hits and knocked in a run. Designated hitter Anthony Alvarez, Myers, third baseman Cam Avery and second baseman Miles Singleton added RBIs.
Williams was 2 for 4 with three RBIs in the 14-4 win over Colleton County, while catcher Antonio Cochran-Rivera went 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Singleton knocked in a pair, too. Alvarez, Myers, Avery and Brindle added RBIs for the Cobras, who trailed 4-3 before putting up an eight spot in the bottom of the fourth. Cane Bay ended it via mercy rule with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and finished with 10 hits.
Petty earned the win with 1.2 hitless innings of relief and three strikeouts.
On the season, shortstop Julian Minus paces the Cobras offensively with a .417 batting average, followed by Williams (.379), Cochran-Rivera (.364) and Alvarez (.333).
Dodson and Brindle have sparkling ERAs below 1.
“We have had a good start but it is a long season and we must stay focused and take each game one at a time,” Todd said. “Working on our weaknesses and coming together as a team will hopefully help us keep some of this early momentum and allow us to be in the thick of things down the stretch. We want the opportunity to play games down the stretch that matter, that we will control our own destiny. We have some really good teams on our schedule so we will keep working hard and we will see where we end up.”
After a series with Wando, Cane Bay takes on Stratford (March 27, 29, 31) and Goose Creek (April 3, 5, 7) in region play. The Cobras host just game two in each of those sets.