Reggie Kennedy, head coach of Manning High School’s football team, has been chosen to lead the South Carolina squad in the 88th Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, an honor he describes as deeply meaningful.
“It means a whole lot to me,” Kennedy remarked on his selection to guide the state’s top players against their North Carolina counterparts. “You get to represent your state in this prestigious game, the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas and what it stands for. It will be great to visit the Shriners Hospital and see the children.”
Kennedy will be supported by a distinguished coaching staff including Brian Smith from Kingstree, Jeff Tate from Ashley Ridge, Dann Holland from Pelion, and Perry Woolbright from Clover. Assisting them will be Marco Thompson from Manning and Jimmy Woods from Lamar.
This marks Kennedy’s first tenure as the selected head coach for South Carolina, although he previously served as the acting head coach for the 2007 team. At that time, Kennedy, then head coach at Orangeburg-Wilkinson, stepped in for David Farnham, who was battling cancer. Despite the challenging circumstances, the Sandlappers emerged victorious with a 21-15 win. Kennedy also led the South squad in the 2016 Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl during his tenure at Irmo.
With a coaching career spanning 30 seasons, Kennedy boasts a record of 186-146 across seven different schools. His journey includes notable stops at Kingstree, Fairfield Central, Orangeburg-Wilkinson, Blythewood, Sumter, Irmo, and currently, Manning High School.
Throughout his career, Kennedy has achieved seven seasons with nine or more wins, with four of those seasons exceeding 10 victories, including two impressive 12-win campaigns at Fairfield Central.
As Kennedy prepares for his sixth season at Manning and his 30th overall as a head coach, his selection to lead South Carolina in the Shrine Bowl underscores his enduring impact and commitment to excellence in high school football coaching.
