![“[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)
Girls tennis continues playoff run with win over Menlo-Atherton
Varsity tennis captain Gina Partridge (12) hits the ball during a team practice earlier in the season. After beating Menlo-Atherton 4-3 in the CCS quarterfinals match, they move on to semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 16, against St. Francis.
November 14, 2019
The girls tennis team beat Menlo-Atherton High School 4-3 in their quarterfinal matchup, continuing their Cinderella run in the CCS playoffs. Currently 15-2 overall, the Eagles have had an impressive season this year, defying all expectations, even their own.
“We’re all just really happy we’ve made it this far — this is the first time ever,” Rachel Broweleit (12) said. “We don’t care what the score is on the next match, we’re just glad we got to go this far this year.”
The two teams were tied at 3-3 with only Rachel’s match left to determine the outcome of the very close game. Initially down 0-3 in the first set, she was able to make a comeback to win 7-5 in both sets and secure the victory for Harker.
“It was very stressful and a ton of pressure obviously, but [having] the team with me and supporting me really motivated me,” she said. “From the very beginning, I thought that there was no way I could play a three hour match, but [doing it] for the team made me decide to fight through it.”
The girls will face St. Francis at Saratoga High School on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 11 a.m. in the CCS semifinals. If they move on to the finals, they will compete on the same day at Bay Club Courtside at 5:30 p.m.
