![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Varsity Boys’ Basketball team takes on Carmel in second round of CCS
The Varsity boys’ basketball team faces Carmel High School this Thursday in a second round CCS matchup. Harker is favored to win as they hold the higher seed over Carmel.
The Varsity boys’ basketball team will host Carmel High School this Thursday in a second round CCS game in the Blackford Gym at 7 p.m.
After defeating Woodside Priory, Sacred Heart Prep, and Pinewood, three of the Eagles’ league rivals, Harker finished the regular season with a 15-9 overall record. The Eagles have been awarded the sixth seed in Division IV of the CCS tournament.
“I’m perfectly fine with that because I know how difficult the seeding committee’s job is. Originally, we were going to have to have a play-in game. But by winning those 3 games, we were propelled to the number six seed,” head coach of the Varsity boys’ basketball team Butch Keller said.
Carmel is coming into this game with a 14-9 overall record, similar to the Eagles. The Padres are a young team with a talented roster, having only two seniors. The Eagles are an experienced team and are favored to win, as the team holds the higher seed in this matchup.
“I think we will perform pretty well, as we’ve been playing well recently. Our team is mentally prepared going into the game and is ready to make a deep playoff run,” co-captain Eric Holt (11) said.
At the same time, Carmel has standout offensive players that can challenge the Eagles’ stellar defense on the court.
“Carmel has an extremely good post player and they have an incredibly good shooter,” Keller said. “At the same time, I think that defensively, we are a far better team, and I’m hoping that will be the thing that will determine the game.”
Many key injuries have led to the team’s performance falling short of expectations this season. After starting off the season with three double-digit wins over Gunn High School, Monta Vista High School, and Homestead High School, Eric broke his thumb. Nicholas Nguyen (11) and co-captain John Hughes (12) were out when league play began due to other injuries but have been cleared to play in the game this Thursday. Will Deng (12) has torn his PCL and will be out for the rest of the season.
“We couldn’t win our league because we had these key people out, but if you look at what we’ve been through, it’s been a great season,” Keller said.
One advantage that the Eagles have this year is the fact that their rival schools, Sacred Heart Prep and Menlo, have been placed on the other side of the bracket, meaning that those schools won’t be encountered until the CCS finals. This will give the Eagles a better chance of making a deeper playoff run and potentially making the finals.
Come out and cheer for the Varsity boys’ basketball team this Thursday, as it takes on Carmel at 7 p.m. in the Blackford Gym.
Ria Gandhi (11) is the Aquila Features Editor. This is her third year on staff after being the Assistant Sports Editor in her sophomore year and a reporter...