Milestones were met on the high school soccer field and collegiate baseball diamond. Resignations continued at one area high school, while the first of what would be three resignations in University of Montevallo athletics took place just before month’s close. National and international athletes visited Alabaster.

With this Year in Review, the Shelby County Reporter looks back month-by-month on the news stories and images that defined the year.

Join us as we recall the triumphs and tragedies, successes and failures that were 2007.

This is part four of a 12-part series that will run online through Jan. 1

Morris is Thompson’s goal mine

Thompson Mary Morris demonstrated her scoring talent five times April 13 to give the Lady Warriors their first-ever area title in an 8-0 win over Northridge on senior night.

Morris entered the game with 38 goals on the season and 98 in her career. It didn’t take long for her to find No. 99, scoring in the opening minutes. She followed with an assist to Sarah Waremburg and then chipped in No. 100 with 18:19 to play in the half. She’d add two more before the end of the period and a fifth in the 55th minute.

Waremburg and Kacey Chance each added second-half goals.

Brown stands out at CBI showcase

Former University of Montevallo men’s basketball player Greg Brown scored 23 points in a 9-for-15 shooting performance on ESPN-U April 21 to earn the East Team MVP in the Inaugural College Basketball Invitational All-Star game.

Brown scored 48 points in four games through the weekend to help lead his Galaxy team to the CBI Championship earlier in the day. Former Falcon Marcus Kennedy was also named an East All-Star after averaging 11 points and 5.3 rebounds through three games for his Louis Perry and Associates team. He added six points and 11 rebounds in the All-Star game.

The CBI brought 60 of the top players from NCAA Division II and III and the NAIA to play in front of professional scouts.

Taylor made area champs

Nothing could stop Coosa Valley Academy’s Zac Taylor April 20 as he struck out a career-high 17 batters to lead CVA to a 6-0 win over Shelby Academy to win the area.

Taylor added two hits and four RBIs on offense to secure the win and regular season sweep over Shelby.

Junior runners named state MVPs

Michael Martin of Cornerstone Christian and Hunter Burridge of Kingwood Christian tied for the boys Most Valuable Player honor at the AISA junior high track and field state championship in Atmore on April 21. Kingwood’s Katherine Stockman won the girls’ MVP award to help her team finish second in the event.

Pro skaters grind in Alabaster

Alabaster’s Veterans Skate Park joined with World Cup Skating to host the inaugural Pat Wachter Pro Bowl contest April 28-29.

Professional skaters such as Benji Galloway, Christian Honoi and Jimmy the Greek were on hand to participate, judge or just show off.

Galloway beat out Tim Johnson of Jacksonville, Fla., by 2.33 points in the pro competition Saturday to win the $1,000 first-place prize and was one of a dozen pros that stayed in town to show off for the crowd on April 29.

Mexican national team visits Thompson

Thompson High School varsity soccer players received a visit from Mexico under 21 women’s soccer national team captain April 24. The team visited Thompson to talk about their experiences playing internationally and sign autographs. Mexico was one of five countries that competed across the state in the Alabama Youth Soccer Association’s Futbol Internacional Soccer Festival, April 22-28.

UM athletic director resigns

University of Montevallo President Dr. Philip Williams accepted the resignation of Athletics Director Dennis Toney April 26.

Toney was named the Executive Director of the Southern Virginia Recreation Facilities Authority (SVRFA) in Martinsville, Va., at a press conference April 30. He remained at Montevallo through the month of May.

Shelby wins AISA track title

Shelby Academy boys’ track captured the AISA Region A track championship in Selma April 26.

Relay members Brandon Horton, Josh Sharp, Miles Waits and Brad Lavoy helped their team to their third title in four years by placing second in the 4×100 relay.

The four also placed second in the 4×400-meter relay and sixth in the 4×200.

Horton also placed third in the triple jump, while teammate Parker Headley placed second in the discus to help Shelby Academy earn 30 points overall to win over East Memorial Christian of Prattville, who had 18 points in Region A.

Chelsea Carter helped lead the girls’ team to a second place finish with a third place finish in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes