![“[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)
Boys’ varsity soccer wins against Eastside College Prep
Ramzi Jahshan (12) and Sharad Chandra (9) defend the ball from an Eastside player. The boys varsity soccer team defeated Eastside 2-0.
The boys’ varsity soccer team defeated Eastside College Preparatory School 2-0 this afternoon on Davis Field.
The victory against Eastside improved the team’s overall record to 5-1-1.
“Winning the match was a good step forward in the season towards our goal of making CCS playoffs this year,” Alan Guo (12), fullback, said.
Before beginning the game, the soccer team was mentally prepared, but physically worn out from their previous match with Crystal Springs Uplands School.
“I was feeling pumped up and excited to play,” Kedar Gupta (10), midfielder and defender, said. “But also a little tired from our game yesterday against Crystal Springs since they were an energized team that forced us to play harder and faster than normal.”
When the game started, both teams appeared to be evenly matched, as the ball traveled back and forth between the two multiple times. Students also showed up to support the soccer team, which was amplified by their energetic shouts and loud cries of dismay.
After ten minutes into the first half though, Oisin Coveney (11) was awarded a penalty shot for being tripped into the box. Oisin made a deceptive kick that sent the Eastside goalie in one direction and the ball in the other.
For the rest of the first half, there were several attempts to score, but they all flew over goal or went wide. When the second half started, both teams still held an equal footing against each other and found it hard to keep control of the ball for a long period of time.
The eagles scored midway through the second half on a fast kick from Omar Hamade (11), which traveled twenty yards into the goal. His goal garnered loud cheers from the students and his teammates. Omar himself also celebrated with a small victory kick.
After this goal, both teams fought to create scoring opportunities.
During one of those attempts, Jason Jeong (12), goalie, jumped up to catch the ball. When he was in the air, one of the Eastside players accidentally headbutted him in the stomach. Jason had the wind knocked out of him momentarily, but quickly recovered and confidently reassured his teammates he was alright.
The boys’ varsity soccer team will play its next match against King’s Academy on Jan. 15 at 3 p.m. on Davis Field.
Kaitlin Hsu (11) is the Editor-in-Chief of Wingspan Magazine. In her freshmen year, she was a reporter, and in her sophomore year, she was the Features...