Morgan Academy fans spent nearly half an hour looking at the school’s scoreboard, hoping it would come on before the start of Friday night’s game. At the end of the night, they were still looking at the scoreboard, hoping the hometown Senators would be able to hang on despite two late turnovers.

Thanks to big plays from their defense, the Senators were able to do just that.

Morgan (5-2) defeated Clarke Prep 20-12 in a game that included a 21-minute delay before kickoff due to a scoreboard malfunction. Morgan’s Sawyer Hopkins caught a 25-yard touchdown and intercepted a pass with 30 seconds left to help the Senators hang on for the win and improve to 5-2.

“The guys are excited and we are trying to keep them grounded about it,” said Morgan coach Josh Thacker. “We’ve got a chance to do some more damage later on in the year.”

The Senators scored first on a 58-yard touchdown pass from Gunnar Henderson to Sam Brackin. Henderson stayed in the pocket just long enough to get the defense upfield and Brackin did the rest, weaving through defenders down the sideline to put the Senators up 7-0 with 7.6 seconds left in the first quarter.

Henderson threw his second touchdown pass of the game with 5:41 left in the first quarter. He connected with Hopkins, who broke numerous tackles on his way into the end zone. The extra point failed due to a bad snap.

“Sawyer has done a great job and he is asked to do a lot of things,” Thacker said. “Tight end. Defensive end. He’s a super smart kid and a great football player. We’re fortunate to have him,” Thacker said.

With the game teetering in the balance, Clarke Prep (1-5) answered with one of its best drives of the game. The Gators marched 57 yards on six plays to pull within 13-6 with 2:13 left in the half.

Dylan Thomas capped the drive with a 30-yard touchdown run off left tackle. The extra point failed after a bad snap.

It took the Senators only three plays to open their lead back up in the second half. Brackin ran for a 59-yard touchdown around left end and Brayton Brown added the extra point to put Morgan up 20-6.

The Gators refused to go away. A roughing the passer call on the Senators kept Clarke Prep’s next drive alive and the Gators marched 72 yards on 10 plays. Thomas again capped the drive, scoring on a 7-yard touchdown run. Clarke Prep tried a double reverse pass on the two-point conversion, but the Senators’ defense knocked the pass away in the end zone.

Morgan Academy’s next drive ended when Henderson was stopped inches short on fourth down. Clarke Prep took over on downs at their own 43-yard line but drove the ball to the Senators 18-yard line. Morgan’s defense held strong, forcing the Gators into a fourth-and-9 at the Morgan 16.

Clarke Prep brought out the field goal unit, which rushed to get the play off to beat the play clock.

The Gators fumbled the snap and Morgan recovered.

On the next play, Brackin had the ball ripped out of his hands and Clarke Prep recovered at the 22-yard line.

With the game on the line, the Morgan defense held strong again.

Clarke Prep tried a double reverse pass on first down, but Henderson knocked it away in the end zone. On second down Drayton Reeves sacked Trey McConnell for a loss of 8 yards. After a delay of game, the Gators were in a nearly impossible situation — fourth-and-25.

Marcus Grey Norton threw an incomplete pass on fourth down and was over the line of scrimmage on the play.

The Senators declined the penalty and after picking up two first downs, appeared to be on their way to putting the finishing touches on their fifth win. Instead, Clarke Prep came up with another fumble — this one at the their own 28 — and had one last chance to try to tie the game.

The Senators defense again came up with a big play as Hopkins intercepted Norton’s pass and ran it back inside the Clarke Prep 5-yard line. Henderson took a knee on the next snap and Morgan held on for the win.

Thacker said although his team had some mistakes down the stretch, this is the kind of gut check victory that can help his team gain confidence in close games.

“Winners find a way to win. They find a way to pull out the close games and the squeaky games … so learning how to win and learning to be a program is so important,” Thacker said.

Morgan will be at home again next week for a region game against Fort Dale.