NATCHEZ — Three young softball players made the Louisiana state softball playoffs a family affair this season.

Cousins Paige Bryan of Monterey, Maura Cooper of Block and Macy Greer of Jena all participated in the postseason this year.

“It was great (for all of us to make the playoffs), I don’t think any of us really expected it,” Cooper said. “I think it was even better to get to see them and take pictures and talk.”

Although Jena and Monterey lost in the first round of the playoffs at Frasch Park in Sulphur, La., Bryan and Greer stuck around to watch their cousin Maura, and Block, make it to the semi-finals.

“We went further than anybody thought we would (this year),” Cooper said. “They (both) came and watched, even though they had lost out.”

Both Bryan and Greer were happy about their teams’ seasons as well, they said.

“We went 23-6 for the whole year and that’s the farthest Monterey has ever been in softball,” Bryan said. “It was a really big accomplishment, the school was really proud of us.”

Greer said making it to the playoffs was amazing, and she was happy about her cousins making the postseason as well.

“I was pretty excited for them, it may never happen again,” Greer said.

All three girls have been playing softball since they were little and their paths crossed a few times in those years.

As youngsters Cooper and Bryan were living in Jonesville, La., and they played against Greer, who was in Jena, in all-stars, Bryan said.

“It was competitive because our family is really competitive, and we always wanted to beat each other. But, we were good sports about it,” Bryan said.

Cooper said she would have been glad if the three could have all played together.

“It was great to be able to play with Paige but it’s not so fun when you have to play against your cousin, as close as (we) are, we don’t want to beat them,” Cooper said. “It would have been better if we had played together.”

The three also faced off this season.

Monterey and Block played each other twice, with Monterey winning both contests. Jena and Block also met, but Monterey and Jena did not play.

Although the girls are not first cousins, they said they are a close family, but softball is really what keeps them together.

“We were a lot closer when we were younger,” Cooper said. “We used to go to Christmas together, but as we got older and went to different high schools it got harder to be able to see each other. Softball is our biggest way of communication.”

This season might not be the last year that the family sees a lot of success on the diamond.

Bryan and Greer are both freshmen and Cooper is just a sophomore.

Bryan is a pitcher for the Monterey softball team, Cooper plays center field for Block and Greer is a second baseman and pitcher for Jena.