![“[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 water polo loses to Saratoga
Two Harker team members try to prevent a Saratoga player from passing the ball as one of his teammates swims towards them.
Varsity boys water polo lost 16-12 to the Saratoga Falcons in a non-league home game today at 3:30 p.m.
Saratoga led seven to four at halftime, scoring nine goals in the second half of the game to the Eagles’ eight. The Falcons, some of the boys’ top league competitors, are currently 2-0 in the league and 5-2 overall.
Many people came to watch the game, chanting “I believe that we can win,” “Harker Eagles,” and the names of team members. After the game, girls’ water polo team member Samantha Yanovsky (9) commented on the enthusiasm.
“I was really happy about how many people showed up and were cheering them on, and the game went well,” Yanovsky said. “[The boys team] did good.”
Spectator Dhanush Madabusi, a senior, also expressed his thoughts on the game.
“[The Harker team] did real good. They put out a real valiant effort,” Madabusi said. “[Saratoga] didn’t show as much passion as we did.”
Meanwhile, boys water polo coach Ted Ujifusa expressed his expectations for the team’s performance.
“We could have played better,” Ujifusa said. “I didn’t think that the other team was that much better than us and we have more room to improve, so I’m looking forward to playing the other team again.”
Team captain Edward Sheu (12) voiced similar views.
“We made a lot of mistakes, and they capitalized on them. In terms of ability, I think that we can match them,” Sheu said. “I definitely think that next time we play, in the league tournament, we’re going to be looking to beat them.”
The team’s last game against Saratoga was closer but still a loss, with a final score of 11-10.
Junior varsity boys water polo won 11-2 when they played Saratoga at 4:30 p.m., while girls water polo played Monta Vista at 6:45.
The varsity team’s next game will be at Homestead next Tuesday at 6:45 p.m.
Rose Guan (10) is a copy editor for the Winged Post in her second year on staff. She was a reporter in her freshman year, and her favorite aspect of journalism...