Three former Corner Canyon Chargers — Zach Wilson, Jackson Powers-Johnson and Jaxon Dart — returned home to see their jerseys retired, making it a memorable moment in the program’s history for 300 fans in attendance.

 The ceremony also honored former head coach Eric Kjar with Canyon School District’s first Legacy of Excellence Award, recognizing the culture and championship standard he built during his tenure. 

The three players helped define the Chargers’ national reputation, said Principal Dina Kohler.

“In the 13-year history of Corner Canyon, there have been hundreds of athletes,” she said. “Jackson, Jaxon and Zach are definitely among those who are living embodiments of the navy, silver and white. They wore their Chargers’ jerseys with grit, pride and unrivaled work ethic.”

The three, all appreciative of the school retiring their jerseys, expressed gratitude for their families and coaches and shared memories with the crowd before signing autographs for about 100 youth in attendance.

Zach Wilson: Chasing greatness early

Quarterback Zach Wilson’s path to the NFL began before he arrived at Corner Canyon. In fact, he was seeking coach Kjar’s guidance while in middle school.

 “When I was in seventh grade, I used to wake up on Wednesday mornings and take the train from Crescent View Middle School to Jordan High School where coach Kjar was to go to his early morning throwing sessions,” Wilson said. “I wanted to be great. That was something I always had my eyes on, and that's why I tried to work with coach Kjar early on.”

After initially playing for Jordan High, Wilson transferred back to Corner Canyon and the teammates he grew up with and eventually, Kjar made the move as well. 

“When coach Kjar decided to come to Corner Canyon, we knew instantly we were going to be a pretty good football team, and that was exciting,” Wilson said.

That season, Wilson’s senior year in 2017, the Chargers advanced to the semifinals in the state championship. 

He then starred at Brigham Young University before going to the NFL as the second pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

Kjar said Wilson’s toughness defined him.

“The No. 1 attribute you have you have to have as a quarterback…is, are they tough?” Kjar said. “Zach had it for sure.”

Former defensive coach, now Chargers head coach, Casey Sutera remembered Wilson being special.

“He changed the tide of the game for us a lot,” Sutera said. “In his senior year, Zach offensively took over the game, making plays that not a lot of quarterbacks any level could make.”

He said Wilson was tuned into details of the game.

“His level of understanding of the game, even when he was in high school, is beyond a lot of players,” Sutera said.

Jackson Powers-Johnson: Chargers established good habits

For Powers-Johnson, the Las Vegas Raiders offensive guard and former unanimous 2023 All-American center at University of Oregon, the night ranked among the most meaningful moments of his career and was thankful for the support he had in Draper as a student.

“This is the coolest thing I've had in my career,” he said. “Honestly, I played on all stages, but this truly has meant the most to me. From coach Kjar to everybody in between here at Corner Canyon, it's the sole reason why I'm in the NFL and why I'm having a great career.” 

Powers-Johnson’s relationships with coaches remains strong. Last season, he thanked Sutera on TV after making a tackle in the Raiders-Bears game.

 “Coach Sutera taught me how to tackle so when I had to tackle in a game, I gave him some shout out,” he said. “I definitely was prepared enough to play at this level from how coach Kjar ran things and being coached by coach Sutera and all the coaching staff. They helped me develop good habits, waking up early every day, working hard with your teammates, coaching me how to respond to things when things are hard on the field and off the field. 

I give them credit; it was seamless going into the NFL and college.”

Sutera said in high school, Powers-Johnson brought relentless energy and leadership. The future NFL lineman arrived at school before the coaches did.

“JPJ always was there before the other players, before the coaches for morning lifts or Saturday morning film sessions. He’s one of the highest effort guys we coached,” Sutera said.

The lessons he learned as a high school student are now paid forward to other high school athletes. The morning before the honor, he was found in the weight room lifting and spotting the Chargers.

“When you get to a stage like I’m at right now, the biggest thing I believe is to give back to the place that helped you get here,” he said. “It means everything to me.”

Jaxon Dart: A fiery force

Dart only spent one season at Corner Canyon, after transferring from Roy High, but during his senior year, he led one of the most dominant teams in Utah history and captured national attention.

“Honestly, it was a little surreal,” he said. “You come into high school at that age and you have the biggest dreams and aspirations. It was one of the most meaningful years in my football career, but also me, as a person.”

Sutera recalled coaches were uncertain who would step into the quarterback’s position that season until Dart arrived.

“From the start, he was different,” he said. “He’s talented as a quarterback; he’s athletic and he's elusive. He elevates those around him. He cared about the team success; he had that passion, that energy — and still does with the (New York) Giants.”

Kjar said practices were intense.

“Our sessions were maybe the most competitive action we saw that year, with how good our defense was, and the way Jaxon approached it,” he said. “He has a competitive edge, his intelligence, his drive for the game and the love for it on a daily basis, you don’t see that very often. He can lead the team, elevate his teammates’ game and continue to get better.”

Dart, who played alongside Powers-Johnson, remembers his first impression.

“The first time that I met him, he came up to me, and he was the biggest person I've seen that time. He told me, ‘I'm Jackson, and I'm your protector.’ That's something that's always stuck with me,” he said.

He said he looked up to Wilson from his high school career to playing professionally.

“There's not a lot of quarterbacks who make it out of the city,” Dart said. “When I was younger, I looked up to Zach, and he was a guy who made it out and it really paved the way for us. Utah doesn't get enough attention as it should.” 

Eric Kjar: Legendary coach

The ceremony celebrated the coach who first helped build Jordan High’s program, then made it a legacy at Corner Canyon.

During nine seasons at Corner Canyon, Kjar compiled a 112-10 record, winning six state championships (2018-20, 2023-25) and leading the Chargers to a Utah-record 48 straight wins from 2018-21. He left the Chargers in December 2025 to accept Weber State University’s head football coach position.

 Dart credits Kjar for his success: “There was not a better coach to play for, to get developed for the NFL and give me the best chance to make it. This is kind of where everything started. He instilled a sense of competition and culture in everybody, and we built a brotherhood that is unmatched. We supported each other and that success is because of every single one of us.”

Sutera worked alongside Kjar for eight years.

“Coach Kjar was pivotal in all those guys growth and to have a coach like him, it's pretty rare, he was such a big part of their success,” he said. “Coach is one of the most impactful people on me I've ever been around. There's something special about the time we had have there, not too many teams can duplicate what we did.”

Kjar said watching his former plays in the NFL has been a dream.

“These guys, they achieved so well with the grit they had for every day, and their achievements aside, they’re awesome, great guys — the type of guys that you love to be around,” he said. “I’m proud of them regardless of accomplishments. It's a dream to get to coach guys like this.”