![“[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’ baseball loses 5-7 against Crystal Springs Uplands
Dominic Cea (9) pitches during a game against Crystal Springs. The Eagles lost 5-7.
The Upper School boys’ baseball team lost 5-7 against Crystal Springs Uplands in a home game at Blackford.
Harker took a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
“We are playing the second best team in our league,” Mitchell Kole (9) said before the game. “I am confident that we will beat them today, and we are going to do very well.”
With no runs from either team in the second inning, Harker maintained its lead over Crystal Springs.
“I think we have a pretty good chance of winning because last time we played this team, we barely lost 9-8 in the seventh [inning]” Robert Schick (9) said before the game. “We’ve definitely gotten better, and I think that if we play to our top ability, then we can easily beat Crystal Springs.”
In the third inning, Crystal Springs scored three runs and the Eagles scored one, bringing the score to a 3-3 tie. The Eagles took the lead again in the fourth inning with two runs that brought the score to 5-3.
Crystal Springs scored four runs in the fifth inning, bringing the score to 5-7. The sixth and seventh innings passed without any runs from either team.
The game ended with Crystal Springs retaining the two-point lead it had gained in the fifth inning.
“We played hard,” Akhil Arun (9) said after the game. “It was a really close game, and it was just a matter of few decisions and a few plays that just set the score apart.”
Head coach Mike Delfino commented on the team’s performance.
“I think the kids played a great game,” Delfino said. “They’re getting better day by day, week by week.”
The boys’ baseball team has two home games next week. They will play Pinewood next Tuesday, and on Thursday, they will play Jefferson for their senior night.
Praveen Batra (9) is a reporter for the Winged Post. He enjoys informative writing, design, and typography. In his spare time, he likes to write mobile...