Morgan Academy kept its AISA state soccer playoff hopes alive on Wednesday night.

Freshman Wade Mason scored twice in the second half as the Senators beat Hooper Academy 3-2.

The Senators (6-6, 5-5) are in good position to make the playoffs, traveling to Autauga Academy on Friday and hosting Kingwood Academy Monday.

“We could finish anywhere between third and fifth, but only four teams make the playoffs,” Senators coach Jay Minter said. “With the turnaround we’ve had, going from 2-10 to just a shot at the playoffs is good. We have a young team.”

Mason said it was all part of a team effort. The Senators have strong leadership from their three seniors: Ford Chittom, Micah Pitts and Will Lyons. The trio played their next-to-last home game.

“I’m not a one-man team, I couldn’t have done this without my teammates,” Mason said. “It’s a great feeling to know that I helped the team win.”

The Colts took a 1-0 lead on Cody Reed’s goal 14 minutes into the contest.

Morgan Academy tied the game at 1-1 at halftime on freshman Cink Minter’s goal.

The Colts took their final lead at 2-1 on Reed’s final goal 15 minutes into the second half.

The turning point came when Hooper Academy’s Will Bethea illegally touched a ball with his hand five minutes later. Under high school rules, the hand touching called for a red card and Bethea’s ejection to set up a penalty kick.

Mason drilled the penalty kick and tied the game at 2-2.

Six minutes later, Mason delivered the game-winner for the Senators.

Another Morgan Academy freshman, Wilks Chittom, had 14 saves on goal.