PRATTVILLE — As if going deep into the playoffs in his first year as head coach of the Morgan Academy wasn’t enough for his “rookie” season, Senators’ head coach Brian King got more good news after he learned he was named AISA coach of the year for division AAA.

King, who played defensive end and linebacker for the Senators before graduating in 2002, learned of the honor shortly before helping coach the West team in the AISA All Star game.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all. There are so many great coaches out there,” said King, who, after graduating from Morgan played football four years at Millsaps College and earned a degree in business.

After he graduated he returned home and was working with his father when he figured out he hadn’t quite quenched his thirst for football.

“I just called up (former Morgan head coach) Gartman and asked if I could come help out,” he said. “I just enjoyed it so much, being around the game.”

King didn’t know what to expect his first year at the helm of the Senators and, if learning how to be head coach wasn’t tough enough, his bunch opened the season against defending state champions Pike Liberal Arts Academy.

But the Senators played Pike close, only losing by 7 and went on to win Region 2 with impressive wins over Bessemer and Prattville Christian.

The Senators won their first-round playoff game, which set up a rematch with Pike that turned in to one of the gutsiest Morgan performances ever as the Senators battled the Patriots to a 0-0 tie at the end of regulation before falling 6-3 in OT.

“Our kids didn’t know what to do after losing to Pike,” King said. “They just wanted to keep playing football. All the glory (for this award) goes out to them.”

So what does King want to do for an encore to his “freshman” season?

“Hopefully win a championship. I’d trade that for this honor any day of the week.”