![“[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 advances to CCS finals
Nicholas Nguyen (11) dribbles to the basket in the Harker vs. Seaside Spartans game where the Varsity Boys’ Basketball team won 71-61.
Varsity Boys’ Basketball emerged with a 71-61 victory over second-seeded Seaside Spartans at the Coast Central Section (CCS) semifinals today, becoming the first boys’ sport ever to advance to the CCS finals.
Head Coach Butch Keller revealed his pride in the boys’ performance tonight.
The Eagles maintained a steady lead throughout all four quarters in the game, finally defeating the Spartans by ten points in the last quarter.
Senior Wei Buchsteiner led the team with 21 points, followed by Srivinay Irrinki (11) and Nicholas Nguyen (11) with 17 and 14 points, respectively.
“Honestly, it feels amazing. There is so much chemistry with this team, and our bonds are only getting stronger,” captain John Hughes (12) said. “Everyone contributed tonight, from playing to bench support, but regardless, it was purely awesome. It’s about to get crazy!”
Eric Holt (11), Huck Vaughan (12), and Justin Yen (11) were among the prominent players in the game and helped bring the team to a dominating win.
Teammate Arjun Ashok (11) shared his post-game enthusiasm and reflected on the team’s achievement in the game.
A sizable crowd attended the game, rallying the team to the decisive victory.
“The most exciting part of the game was the atmosphere with all the students cheering on the team to a sweet victory,” Krish Sanghi (12) said.
The boys will play Sacred Heart Preparatory in the CCS finals this Saturday, March 8. If the Eagles remain undefeated, the team will then advance to the division IV CIF State Basketball Northern California championships against St. Patrick-St. Vincent on Wednesday, March 12.
Mariam Sulakian is the Features Editor of Harker Aquila. She has been a member of the journalism program for four years and appreciates the opportunities...
Sheridan Tobin is the co-Editor in Chief of The Winged Post. She is a senior and this is her fourth year on staff. She was the Global Editor and Opinion...
Suraya Shivji • Mar 5, 2014 at 10:21 pm
Love the sound clouds! So cool. Good work Mariam!
Great job to Harker basketball too!
BigFan • Mar 5, 2014 at 8:29 am
Nice article. Great crowd. Excellent defense. Way to knock down those free throws! Go Eagles!