![“[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 loses at NorCals
Srivinay Irrinki (11) dribbles the ball down the court during the first round of the NorCal tournament. The Eagles lost 60-42 against St. Patrick-St.Vincent.
The Varsity Boys’ Basketball team lost 60-42 in the first round of the division IV CIF State Basketball Northern California championships (NorCal) today against St. Patrick-St. Vincent.
The team made school history, becoming the first boys’ sports team to advance to the CCS finals and the NorCal championships.
Junior Srivinay Irrinki, who scored six points and two rebounds, analyzed the night’s plays after the loss.
The Eagles fell behind the Bruins 18-10 at the end of the first quarter and trailed 33-26 to half time, despite briefly catching up 21-21 during the second quarter.
Upper School Athletic Director Dan Molin reflected upon the boys’ progression throughout the season.
The distinguished players in the game included Wei Buchsteiner (12), who accumulated 16 points and seven rebounds; Eric Holt (11), with eight rebounds, three assists, and two additional points; Will Deng (12), who scored 10 points and five rebounds; Srivinay Irrinki (11), with six points and two rebounds; and Huck Vaughan (12), totaling seven points.
After the third quarter, the score read 54-39 in favor of the Bruins and finished with an Eagles’ loss of 60-42 in the final quarter. The team totaled 42 points, 30 rebounds, nine assists, and two steals.
Due to the game’s location in Vallejo, students who wished to support the players were invited to ride on the team bus. Sophomore Rohan Desikan was amongst the teams supporters.
The NorCal game marked the end of this year’s Varsity boys’ basketball season.
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...
Alyssa Amick (12) is the Co- Editor in Chief of Harker Aquila. She has been part of the journalism program since her freshman year. Her favorite part of...