NATCHEZ — Trinity Episcopal Day School senior Sarah Bryan is used to partaking in championship runs.

As a shortstop and second baseman for the Lady Saints’ softball team, she led her team to a district title. As one of the leaders of the basketball team, she helped them get to two consecutive state title games. She even cheered for the state champion football team.

But, with all of her athletic accomplishments, the thing she will miss most after graduation this spring is the relationships, she said.

“The main thing I’m going to miss is the memories I made with all the girls and the big moments like when we won a game or when we got to cheer for a state championship,” Bryan said.

“We were like a family, and all the girls became my best friends. We’re like sisters.”

Bryan has been participating in all three sports since she was young, she said.

“(I started playing) because all of my friends were doing it at the time,” Bryan said.

She continued to play because she liked being a part of a team and liked the family atmosphere that Trinity sports provided, she said.

Bryan said of the three, it was hard to pick a favorite sport.

“But, (it would) probably be basketball, because I practiced it year-round and was with those girls and we became closer.”

Bryan might have trouble picking basketball as her favorite but her success as a basketball player at Trinity would be tough to compete with.

In her junior and senior years the Lady Saints went to back-to-back state title games.

“(Last season) was amazing,” Bryan said.

“It was the best season I ever had. I think we had the best team I’ve ever played on at Trinity. The girls were absolutely amazing and altogether we grew as a family and a team. I feel like the whole team grew into its potential.”

Bryan was disappointed that the Lady Saints could not finish the deal in the championship games but she hopes she will remember the seasons themselves and not the two big losses, she said.

“It was awesome to get (to the championship) because we knew we could do it, but losing both was hard because we knew we could have played better,” Bryan said.

“I hope I’ll be more proud that I made it there, (than upset about losing).”

Bryan was key to the success of the Lady Saints last year and her experience and tenacity will be missed, Trinity girls basketball coach Richy Spears said.

“She didn’t get the points and offensive stats, but she was a sure leader just by the way she played. She had a role and she performed her role,” Spears said.

“If (the other team) had a big post player that’s who she guarded, she wasn’t the tallest of the biggest one on the court but she was fun to coach. She played hard every time and she’s definitely going to be missed.”

Bryan described her softball career a little differently, although she was a member of a district title team.

“(Softball) was fun,” Bryan said.

“I played with the same girls I grew up with. I wouldn’t say that it was my most competitive sport. It mattered but it was more for the fun of it than basketball.”

Bryan may have fallen short of the state title as a player, but she shared the experience of winning one with the football team.

“I love cheering during football season. It was amazing cheering for a winning team for one, and the football players and the cheerleaders were like a big family.”

One reason Bryan had such great success is that she possesses a trait that all coaches love to have in their players.

“I like practice, all of it, running wasn’t always fun but it was fun playing against my teammates. And I am willing to put the time into it,” Bryan said.

Bryan is the only child of Tom and Terre Bryan and her parents are key in her success, she said.

“They supported me in everything I’ve ever done. Mom barely ever missed a game and dad was always there taking pictures.”

After graduation Bryan plans to enjoy her summer with her friends before heading off to Mississippi College, where she plans to start her studies in pre-med, she said.