![“[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 volleyball ranked first in CCS, seventh in nation
Billy Fan (10) reaches up to hit the ball during a game against rival Monta Vista High School on March 22.
March 21, 2019
The boys’ volleyball team, currently 14-1, was ranked first in the Central Coast Section (CCS) and seventh in both the state and the nation in the latest standings released by MaxPreps. This represents the first time that any Harker team has been ranked first in the CCS, according to Upper School Athletic Director Dan Molin.
“We have a pretty similar team to what we have last year and we’re just trying to build off what we had last year. We got second in CCS and second in NorCal last year, and we’re just kind of picking up where we left off,” Jeffrey Kwan (11), a co-captain of the team alongside Charlie Molin (12), said.
The boys began the season strong, not dropping a single set for eight consecutive games. Their first and only loss so far came against Palisades High during the Best of the West tournament. Initially seeded 30th out of 32 teams in the tournament, the Eagles placed fifth overall against the best teams on the West Coast.
After their most recent 25-15, 25-19, 25-17 win at Los Gatos high school today, the boys boast a 38-4 record in terms of sets. The team, coached by head coach Chad Gordon, attributes this success to their strategy of playing “smart” volleyball.
“We’re a little less physical than a lot of other teams, so we focus on [playing] really smart. We try and maximize hitting percentages, and try and minimize errors,” Jeffrey said. “[Playing] the smartest possible volleyball allowed us to beat some pretty good teams who are more physical than us, who have players who are playing on better club teams.”
An example of this smart volleyball comes with focusing on minimizing errors when playing “out-of-system”, where the first contact does not generate a good pass. The lack of change in team composition from last year has also gone a long way in improving chemistry and providing players with valuable experience.
“It’s kind of a philosophy that coach has instilled in us of what we’re trying to do, but I think it really came together this year where we’re actually executing,” Jeffrey said.
The Eagles have a home matchup against league rivals Monta Vista (8-3) on Friday at 5:45 p.m, who is ranked fourth in the CCS. The Eagles defeated the Matadors 2-1 at the Best of the West tournament, and look to extend their streak.
