Plumbers in Wando, SC

Art Craig remembers seeing Isaiah Perrin walking around the halls at Timberland High School and wondering why the big fella wasn’t playing football.

At the time, Perrin was about 6-foot-3 and tipped the scales at around 270 pounds. Craig thought he’d make a great offensive lineman.

Perrin, as it turned out, was more interested in becoming the next Tiger Woods.

“Isaiah was a huge golfer and really didn’t think about playing football,” Craig said. “We finally talked him into coming out for the football team and he was a three-year starter for us.”

Perrin, 34, grew to love the game and on Thursday was named the head football coach at Wando High School.

Perrin takes over for Rocco Adrian, who resigned in October after four seasons as head coach with the Warriors. Adrian went 8-28 at Wando.

Perrin served as the offensive coordinator for Stratford High School this past season, but has had stops at Wilson, Swansea, Lower Richland and Timberland as an assistant coach.

“Isaiah is a real student of the game,” Craig said. “I think he’s going to do a great job at Wando. He’s going to be able to relate to his players and I know they will love playing for him.”

Perrin said facing the Warriors during the regular season convinced him that the Mount Pleasant school has the potential to be a winning program.

“Seeing these guys and how they played us during region play made me want to come here,” said Perrin, who served as the head golf coach at Stratford for two years. “They were relentless in their effort. I think that’s something that we can build on. They have great facilities and a community that wants these guys to win. There’s a lot of potential here.”

As the S.C. High School League prepares to reclassify member schools for the 2024-2026 school years, the league has set new guidelines for the realignment.

Among those guidelines, determined by unanimous vote of the the league’s reclassification committee, is dividing Class AAAAA, made up of the state’s largest high schools, into two divisions for playoffs. Two AAAAA state champions will be recognized in each sport.

The committee “recommends that AAAAA be split, by enrollment, in all sports for playoffs leading to two State Championships within that classification due to the number of schools coupled with the large disparity in enrollment sizes within the classification,” reads a memo sent by commissioner Jerome Singleton to member superintendents, principals and athletic directors this week.

The AAAAA split should help schools at the lower end of the SCHSL’s largest schools, said Cane Bay athletic director Brian Swiney.

“I feel that the two Division format is going to be a good thing for the AAAAA class. You are always going to have a big number difference in the enrollment of the largest school to the smallest, especially in AAAAA,” he said. “This gives teams towards the smaller end of the class a chance to compete for a state championship.

“The biggest challenge now will be determining how the playoffs will work in each of the sports. I think that you will see the best teams qualify and then those schools be split up based on enrollment. All of that should come to light when the ADs meet in March. ”

The committee also ruled that Class AAAAA will include no fewer than 52 schools and no more than 60 for 2024-26.

In other classes:

• AAAA will have no fewer than 38 and no more than 46 members.

• AAA will have no fewer than 38 and no more than 46 schools.

• AA will have no fewer than 36 and no more than 44 members.

• And Class A will have no fewer than 42 and no more than 50.

In the last realignment, for 2022-24, there were 36 schools in AAAAA; 41 in AAAA; 43 in AAA; 44 in AA; and 55 in Class A.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) — It is the fabric of our Friday nights. It's easy to say that prep football is a respite, or an escape for a few hours. I found out the lengths of truth in that statement, this weekend.

It started as an innocuous weekend morning text. "Hey, it's Legette. Wanted to say it was good to watch Friday football news online. Little feeling of home. Keep up the good work."

Read more: Wando vs. Lucy Beckham | WATCH LIVE | Friday Night Rivals

The texts from Steve Legette, the Wando High School assistant principal, continued.

"On Saturday morning, we get together, everyone talks about what their high school team did. I got to say, 'Wando didn’t lose'. We have something to look forward to Friday nights and Saturdays for college football."

It sounds like a conversation that you'd hear at any small town Waffle House or coffee shop. Sure, I was appreciative of the text, but man, it hit me when I realized that the conversation and text message were coming from Djibouti, Africa.

"When I left in 2008, could hardly get in touch with home," said Legette, who is in his 30th year with the South Carolina National Guard and did a tour of duty in Afghanistan 15 years ago. "Now, we can call every day. Internet in our rooms, things we didn’t have 15 years ago in 2008."

This year, Legette is not on the sidelines or working crowd control. He's not taking tickets or parking buses. His service is of a higher order, on the African coast, somewhere between Sudan and Somalia. (WCIV)

This year, Legette is not on the sidelines or working crowd control. He's not taking tickets or parking buses. His service is of a higher order, on the African coast, somewhere between Sudan and Somalia.

"We have a two-star general who says every day is a Tuesday here," Legette said. "I said not anymore because now we have Fridays. Next week, we start having Saturdays.

"We're SC National Guard, so we have guys from all over," he continued. "I'm the Charleston guy, the Wando guy. I only care about Wando. I have guys from Dillon, Myrtle Beach. Everyone trying to get their high school game, get up at 2 a.m. and watch it on whatever streaming service they have. One guy whose kid goes to Dorman couldn't get it, so I had to stream on the radio."

It just means more in the south. This Friday, it means the most in the east. East of the Cooper River that is. Lucy Beckham battling Wando. The battle for supremacy on their side of the Isle of Palms connector.

Read more: Friday Night Rivals returns for 14th season of Lowcountry high school football action

"Just got off the phone with Coach Bookman, more of a learning curve for us on our own campus because we're the away team," Legette said. "District 2 stadium, will feel weird for students and parents to be sitting on the other side of the stadium in the sun when everyone else gets the shade, Different experience than it was last year. I texted Rocco, good luck this week. Talked to some of the other coaches and wished them luck and told them I’m pulling for them."

Amazingly, with the News4 livestream of the game, Legette will be able to watch it live, all the way from Djibouti.

"I do miss Friday nights, being out on the field and part of athletics," he said. "I should be able to watch it. Majority of us won't be up at 2 a.m. watching anything, so the internet should be working and we'll go from there."

Even if you don't know much about Djibouti, its easy to know there will be a big smile in the mess hall on Saturday morning with a Warriors win on Friday night.

The Wando High School Marching Band added another remarkable chapter to its storied legacy on Nov. 4 at Colleton County High School. Competing in the 5A category, which represents the largest high schools in South Carolina, Wando secured their 15th State Championship title in an event that featured a total of 22 bands from across the state.

In the preliminary competition, Wando earned a Superior rating, claiming first place in the Lower State Championship, while James F. Byrnes Marching Band clinched the Upper State Championship. The top 12 scoring bands advanced to the finals competition.

The Wando High School Marching Band delivered an outstanding performance during the finals, securing the top position with a score of 93.8 and earning all caption awards for High Music Performance, High Visual Performance and High Overall Effect. James F. Byrnes High School followed with a score of 92.05. Other finalists included Clover High School (90.0), Summerville High School (88.4), and Boiling Springs High School (86.0).

Wando Director of Bands Bobby Lambert expressed the group’s pride and gratitude.

“We are so proud of all of the students, staff, and parents for the Wando High School Marching Band. Whenever you do anything 15 times, it could appear to be a little common or not special. That is not the case with this show or this championship. This community came together to create a work of art that demonstrated passion and artistry. We hope always to represent Mt. Pleasant and Wando at the highest level,” Lambert said.

Growth, trust, and commitment are the keys to the success of Wando Bands, according to Associate Director Lanie Radecke.

“We are incredibly proud of these young people. Their journey over the past few months has been one of growth through trust and unwavering commitment to excellence. The season culminated in a performance that was musical, artistic, and emotionally intelligent. The consistent pursuit of excellence over time is an intangible skill they will carry with them throughout their lives. We are excited to continue our year with chamber music, jazz band, winter guard and concerts,” Radecke said.

Dr. Andrew Blair, the band’s new associate director in his first season, shared his excitement for the marching band’s victory.

“My first semester at Wando High School, a place that’s renowned nationwide for its musical excellence, has been an exhilarating rollercoaster ride. Wando High School is a true musical haven, and I’ve been welcomed with open arms by an outstanding ensemble of students and colleagues who possess a passion for music and teaching that’s simply infectious. The atmosphere here is electric, and I’m absolutely thrilled to embark on this new chapter in my musical journey,” Blair said.

Color Guard Director Brian Winn celebrated the band’s evolution.

“I have been privileged to witness the transformative power of performance art within our color guard. This show was challenging, and the kids stepped up to meet and surpass our expectations. Winning the State championship is a testament to the commitment and dedication of the wonderful kids in our program, as well as the detail and artistry of the design team in putting together Axis Mundi. This collective spirit drives us to push boundaries and create visual experiences that resonate deeply with our audience,” Winn said.

The 2023 show, “Axis Mundi,” created by program coordinator Michael Gray, explores the theme of finding one’s personal center and acting from that truth.

Wando High School Marching Band continues to evolve as a living, breathing entity of musical and marching arts excellence. The dedication, hard work, and passion of the students, staff, and parents involved in the Bands of Wando shine brightly, making each victory as special as the first.

The Bands of Wando is under the direction of Bobby Lambert, Lanie Radecke, Dr. Andrew Blair, and Brian Winn, with assistance from Michael Gray, Tim Cole, Dr. Justin Clarkson, Will Frankenberger, Andrew Kriska, John Houston, Zane Franco, Keilah Walker, Crysta Caldwell, Chris Alaniz, Vince Talbert, Ryan West and Mason Malone. The band is under the field direction of drum majors Annabelle Twomey, Evan Furtaw, Olivia O’Reilly and Brian Shaw.

The Bands of Wando include four concert bands, two jazz bands, a percussion ensemble and Winter Guard programs in addition to its Marching Band and Color Guard. Though Wando’s marching band season has concluded, their four concert bands will perform a Fall Concert on Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. at the Wando High School Performing Arts Center.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – Multiple fire crews responded to a fire at SC Ports’ Wando Welch Terminal Thursday morning.

Officials say it was reported around 9:06 a.m. after a forklift inside a partially covered building caught on fire.

Several units including Mount Pleasant Fire, Charleston Fire Department and Charleston County EMS responded.

No injuries were reported.

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Twenty-one mooring balls were recently installed and are visible from the two waterfront piers on Daniel Island’s Wando River coastline. The devices were permitted and funded by the Daniel Island Yacht Club

According to club representative Jeff Jarrard, a total of 144 mooring balls have been approved by the Army Corps of Engineers, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control and Ocean Resource Management.

Mooring balls are used to safely secure a vessel for a temporary stay.

The mooring balls off of Waterfront Park consist of a helical anchor that is driven into the seabed and attached to an elastic rope, known as a pennant.

These are not the mooring balls of old that were configured with a slab of concrete and a chain. The rope on modern mooring balls, like the ones installed off of Daniel Island, is flexible and stretches during tidal changes or storm surges.

Jarrard explained that the system is designed so as not to disrupt sea life or the ecosystem. He further noted that the balls do not impede the navigable waters because all of the moorings are located inside the channel.

The plan is to install a total of 73 mooring balls, Jarrard said, which is about half of the approved amount. Twenty-one out of a planned 28 have been installed north of the piers and another 45 are expected to be installed south of the piers, Jarrard said.

There are three types of moorings available: One that can sustain up to a 25-foot boat, one up to 35 feet and another up to 45 feet. Mooring balls for the smaller vessels will be closer to shore for depth reasons.

Although the mooring balls are engineered to have vessels attached during storm events, Jarrard said that the Daniel Island Yacht Club’s policy is that vessels cannot be moored during a storm.

Hazelett Marine is in charge of installation. Currently stationed in Panama, Hazelett is expected to return in two to three weeks to finish the remainder of the mooring field.

When the operation is complete, there will be two mooring fields and a main channel in and out of the facility between the two docks. The North Dock will be home to the Daniel Island Yacht Club and the Daniel Island Ferry. The South Dock is where the Carefree Boat Club resides, offering day docking and by the hour.

On the North Dock, there will be public restrooms and an administrative office for booking and launching charters and cocktail cruises. Construction has been delayed due to material supply issues but should be completed in the next few months.

There are currently no bridals or pendants on the mooring balls, rendering them unusable. Future usage will be permitted only for DI Yacht Club members or sponsored guests on a monthly or annual basis.

The Daniel Island Yacht Club has not opened up its membership yet. Its sailing program will be full steam ahead by the spring of 2022. Food and beverage services on the North Dock will be ready by early summer of 2022.

“Starting a yacht club is a different animal,” Jarrard said. “It takes a lot of preparation and discussion ... It’s a process ... We’re going to take our time and do it right.”