NATCHEZ — Trinity linebacker Jordan Vance only played one year of MPSA football, but what a year it was.

Vance, who transferred from Newton County High School in Decatur during last summer, helped the Saints to a 13-1 record this past season and was recently named to the All-MPSA team.

“I’m excited about it,” Vance said. “It’s hard to believe. There are so many other good players (at Trinity) and I’m just honored to be selected.”

Vance played football at Newton County his freshman and sophomore years but didn’t get much playing time. He did not play football his junior year before transferring to Trinity.

Because of that, Trinity coach David King said he didn’t know what to expect from Vance when practice started.

“But when we came back from summer and started fall practice, we could tell he was going to be something special,” King said. “He has a gift for finding the football. You can only coach so much but the player has to have instincts and Jordan is as instinctive a player as I’ve ever coached.”

King said a big part of Vance’s success was his knowledge of the game and willingness to study film.

“He consumed film,” King said. “It’s a blessing to have a linebacker that way.”

Vance said his instinct for finding the football just comes naturally to him.

“I’m an intense player,” Vance said. “I’m always looking for the ball so I can find somebody to hit.”

And that aggressive attitude made Vance a great linebacker and proved to be a key to Trinity’s success this past season, King said.

“He is a great kid to coach,” King said. “He was a big part of the success that we had.”

When Vance looks back on the one season he spent at Trinity, he rues the fact that the Saints were not able to win another state championship, but values many other things about the season.

“It was great getting to know everybody, coming out and having a good time with all my friends and playing for coach King,” Vance said. “We had kind of a surprise season. Being the underdog all year and doing all that we did was my favorite part.”