DRAPER — At Corner Canyon High, wrestling is a family affair. And this year, a proud Samoan family produced not one, not two, but three state champions.
Wrestling is grueling, it's gritty, and at Corner Canyon High, it's gold. Their secret weapons? Two sisters and one brother.
Their goal is to win. They've been on the mat since they were kids and have more in common than their titles.
Meleana Fager and Leimana Fager are seniors. Younger sister, Clarion Fager, is a junior.
Yes, they're siblings — which means practice time sometimes feels like home life.
"Sometimes me and Clarion butt heads just because we're sisters, and we share a room," Meleana said.
Brother Leimana said he can't get too physical with his sisters.
"Yeah, I can throw them around a little bit, but I can't hit. They're allowed to hit me though," he said.
Despite their teasing, their bond runs deep.
"When you're killing each other every single day, and just pushing each other to be the best, it builds a really strong bond with girls that you meet," Meleana said.
Clarion says they're connected.
"Our family is very close just in general because of wrestling," she said.
Their love for the sport comes from their dad, who also coaches the girls' team. "Knowing they would all be in high school at the same time was kind of a dream I kept in the back of my head," John Fager said.
The journey to the top of the podium wasn't easy. It came with injuries, self-doubt and loss. "My junior year I didn't have that much fun," Meleana said. "I put a lot of my worth to how well I did in wrestling."
Watching his kids struggle was tough.
"Last year, we came pretty close," John said. "Mele had some heartbreak losses."
This year, that dream came true: three state titles. Leimana won the 6A state title at 215 pounds. He is now a two-time state champion.
"The kid that I was wrestling he was like 30-40 pounds bigger than me," Leimana said.
Meleana won the 6A state wrestling title at 140 pounds.
"I freaked out when I won. I like, spiked my head gear. I said profanities," she said.
Clarion won the 6A state wrestling title at 190 pounds. She is also a two-time state champion.
"I don't think I jumped so high!" she said.
Their Samoan heritage is a big part of who they are, and wrestling allows them to build on a legacy of more than just winning.
"They've been on journeys through high school. They've all learned to love wrestling for the right reasons," John Fager said. "All of them won the right way."
Meleana and Leimana graduated, leaving Clarion to compete at Corner Canyon as a senior. Her younger sister will join her on the mat as a freshman, continuing their family tradition.
