If you look, you can spot several sets of twins strolling around the Tupelo High School campus, but if you squint hard enough you will find two sets of triplets.

Being a triplet “is great because you have people to watch out for you, and people you see every day,” said Rachael Saval, whose brothers are Ryan and Paul.

The other set of triplets is the Sanos – Momoka, Ayaka and Haruka. Seeing the Savals or the Sanos wandering around campus may come as a surprise since people typically strive to avoid their siblings, especially at school. Then again, three people who have shared a womb are bound to be a bit closer than the average siblings.

Personality-wise, all three of the Savals differ greatly. There is quiet and subdued Rachael, a book always at hand, and the girl of the bunch. Then there is chill, laid-back Ryan, who would never be mistaken for the self-proclaimed “agitator” of the trio, Paul. At first, you might never guess that the THS juniors are triplets.  

The Sano girls, however, are accustomed to being mistaken for one another. They aren’t identical, but have extremely similar facial features and build. While they are almost identical in appearance, however, their personalities are easy to distinguish. Momoka is the quiet and reserved sister – not quite shy, but certainly the least talkative. Ayaka is much more extroverted and  outspoken. And Haruka seems reserved and quiet like her sister Momoka, that is until she gets warmed up. Then she seems to be a match to Ayaka’s louder personality. All three 11th-graders have a unique sense of humor that plays off of one another’s personalities.

If you think twins have trouble with people getting mixed up, imagine the headache triplets must suffer. After all, three is more than two, and that mean that it must be thrice as crazy for them, or triple the trouble, or some other such crazy math. The Sanos have this problem often. Fortunately for the Savals, they hardly ever have to deal with these little mishaps considering they have two boys and one girl. Even with the boys, it is easy to spot the differences. Paul and Ryan favor a bit in the face; however, their heights easily give them away. If you are looking for Ryan, just look for the taller of the two boys.

The Sano girls spend a great deal of time together, whether it’s practicing guitar or playing table tennis together, and are very close. The Savals, however, do not spend quite as much time together. Ryan and Paul are more into outside activities like soccer, while Rachael would rather read a book. Despite the Savals not spending as much time together as the Sanos, they are still just as close.

Neither the Savals nor the Sanos have lived in Tupelo for long. The Savals have lived here since 2014, while the Sano girls have been here for a short 16 months. Both sets of triplets moved here because of their dads’ jobs. So, if you see them on campus, take a moment to meet them and welcome them to THS. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.