By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Dozens packed the Alabaster Municipal Annex on March 11 as the Alabaster School Board honored a trio of accomplished teams from the city’s schools.

During the “Great things within our schools” section of its meeting, the School Board honored the three-time state champion Thompson High School wrestling team, the THS basketball team and the Thompson Sixth Grade Center’s scholars bowl team.

“We had to move (the meeting) from the senior center to here because of all the good things happening in our community and in our schools,” said Alabaster Interim School Superintendent Dr. Phillip Hammonds. “I hope this is a venue we will have to use often. We have a lot to celebrate tonight.”

The THS varsity wrestling team recently won its third-straight state championship in only its sixth year of existence. About 25 members of the wrestling team attended the meeting, many of them wearing shirts reading “Back 2 back 2 back.”

“We win state championships about 50 percent of the time,” THS Principal Daniel Steele said, drawing laughter from the capacity crowd. “You don’t get this way by accident. It’s because of hard work.”

Steele said he often saw wrestling team members training before and after school, and said he hopes the team’s work ethic rubs off on other students.

“We are unbelievably proud of you guys,” Steele said.

The School Board also recognized the THS boys’ basketball team, which finished the season with a 29-5 record and advanced to the elite eight in the state tournament.

Steele said other principals have complimented the team for representing THS well.

“When student-athletes work this hard, they deserve to be recognized,” Steele said.

THS boys’ basketball coach Patrick Davis said the team is “the most unselfish” he has ever coached.

Also recognized during the meeting was the Thompson Sixth Grade Center’s scholars bowl team, which placed third in the Shelby County scholar’s bowl tournament.

Sixth Grade Center Principal Dr. Wesley Hester said the team is “well-rounded,” and said the students demonstrated exceptional teamwork throughout the season.