![“[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)
Kick back with Kushal: Another season lost for the 49ers?
October 17, 2018
A few weeks ago, my hopes and dreams were slashed. The unexpected happened. The unforeseen happened. The heart-breaking happened. Jimmy Garoppolo, the young buck who the 49ers were going to ride to the playoffs with, was horribly injured. Well, there goes another season down the drain for the 49ers. Yes, another. Lost? Let’s catch you up.
The beginning of the end for the 49ers started back at the end of the 2014 season, when Head Coach Jim Harbaugh was fired after a ‘mediocre’ season with an 8-8 record. The following year, Jim Tomsula attempted to take charge, but to no avail as the 49ers ended their season having won only five of their 16 games. Chip Kelly was hired the next year, this time finishing with a distasteful 2-14 record. It was this same year that quarterback Colin Kaepernick became a free agent. Finally, the 49ers decided to clean house with the firings of Kelly and General Manager Trent Baalke and secured John Lynch as the General Manager and Kyle Shanahan as Head Coach.
All caught up? That’s where we currently stand in terms of management. As for quarterbacks, ever since the departure of Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers have gone through the likes of Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, CJ Beathard and Brian Hoyer. Then, late last season, the 49ers somehow managed to snag Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who radiantly shined in the few games he played as a replacement for Tom Brady, the starting Patriots quarterback. And everything paid off. In the last few remaining games that Garoppolo started, the 49ers won. Ultimately, during the offseason, the 49ers elected to sign Garoppolo as their franchise quarterback to a gigantic five-year, 137.5 million dollar deal, which was also the most a player was paid on an annual basis in the NFL at the time (Aaron Rodgers went on to sign a 76 million dollar per year deal.
So, all’s well that ends well? Nope. In the fourth quarter of just the third game of the season, Garoppolo decided to take a game-changing, or even season-changing risk and run the ball himself. In an attempt to gain a few extra yards, while leading a 49ers comeback, Garoppolo tried to elude a defender, but instead clumsily crashed into him, then planted and buckled his knee. Eventually, Garoppolo had to be carted off the field and was replaced by backup CJ Beathard. In the end, the 49ers lost the game, but nobody cared (or at least I didn’t). Everybody’s thoughts and prayers were on the future of our franchise: Jimmy Garoppolo. After the game, it was revealed that the 49ers feared an ACL injury, but nothing would be confirmed until an MRI the next day. When the results were released, it was utterly tragic: Garoppolo tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee — an ACL injury. That alone will keep Jimmy G out for the rest of the season, leaving him only to nurse and rehab his knee.
Funny, huh? The moment where 49ers fans like my friends and I get our hopes up, thinking that the 49ers will come back reinvented, stronger than ever, and reach the Super Bowl this season, lightning comes crashing and strikes down the centerpiece of this 49er comeback. Well, at least there’s next season, right?
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on Oct. 17, 2018.
