By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Thompson High School football player Kirkland Smith capped off a banner week for the school on Feb. 5 by highlighting the fourth THS scholarship-signing ceremony in nine days.

Smith, a defensive back at THS, will continue his athletic and academic career at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Ky., after he inked an athletic scholarship with the school during the signing ceremony.

Smith’s family members, friends, teammates, coaches and school leaders packed the THS library for the final ceremony of National Signing Week.

“We are so proud of Kirkland. This has just been a wonderful week. I think we need to just have a signing a day,” said THS Principal Dr. Wesley Hester. “Kirkland, you’re an inspiration. You have worked hard and now you get to fulfill your dream. We are so happy for you.”

From Jan. 27-Feb. 5, 10 THS athletes signed scholarship offers from several colleges and universities in four separate signing ceremonies. Included in the signings were two baseball players, two soccer players and six football players.

During his senior season with the Warriors, Kirkland was a defensive force on the field. At the end of the season, he had recorded 43 total tackles – 31 of which were solo – two tackles for loss, one sack and two pass breakups.

“Everything we asked Kirkland to do, he did it. When I first got here last year, one of the first people I met was Kirkland with that big smile, and I thought ‘Hey, this is going to be a good place,’” said THS head football coach Mark Freeman. “He was just a great guy to have around us. Nothing ever got him down, and he just kept persevering. I’m so proud for his family, and I’m so proud for Kirkland.”