![“[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)
Washington Wizards beat Charlotte Hornets: An NBA game in photos
The Capital One Arena bustles with energy 30 minutes before the game between the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets.
November 24, 2019
An overwhelming rush of color and noise filled the Capital One Arena on Friday night, such a great onslaught to the senses that it was difficult to take in everything that was happening. Bright lights from several projecting screens illuminated the court below, as they flashed the names of both advertisers and players. The loud smacks of basketballs and sneakers against the wooden floor were barely drowned out by the cheers of the crowd who had come to watch the two teams warm up before the match up later in the evening.
Just one hour before the game between the Washington Wizards (5-8) and the Charlotte Hornets (6-11) was scheduled to begin, this arena was organized chaos. The athletes on the court were doing a combination of different drills, whether that be practicing their shots, running dribbling drills, or stretching out their muscles with bands. On the bleachers, young Wizards fans were clamoring to get autographs and take photos with their favorite players, who were signing jerseys and merchandise as they walked back to the locker room. And by the court sidelines, the TV crew talks to statisticians and announcers as they set up their gear and equipment.
With the two teams having both experienced defensive struggles this season, the game was expected to be a very close one. In a conference with journalists beforehand, Wizards radio play-by-play voice Dave Johnson, who has been working with team for twenty two years, commentated on the similar trends from past seasons and also new changes recently made.
“We still have a problem playing defense, where we score a lot of points but we also give up a lot of points,” he admitted in an interview with Harker Aquila. “But we also now have the second best bench in the league and some new faces.”
Wizards play-by-play commentator Justin Kutcher also noted that while he tries to maintain a level of professionalism and not show any bias for a team when announcing, especially in evenly-matched games like this one, broadcasters do inevitably grow attached to their players and want them to succeed.
“[I] hope you can hear one of us make a call saying the wizards won,” he said as he concluded the interview.
Wizards play-by-play commentator Justin Kutcher and radio play-by-play voice Dave Johnson speak to journalists prior to the game about the team and their experiences working in sports journalism.
Kutcher’s wish turned out to be true a couple hours later, when the Wizards defeated the Hornets 125-118 after a comeback that had the whole crowd on their feet. Although the Hornets were in the lead for the majority of the time, the Wizards were always close behind and were finally able to pull ahead in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter, overcoming a 13-point deficit.
As attendees streamed out of the stadium following the victory for their home team, hollers were thrown up into the air, as fans celebrated together. With this most recent win, the Wizards are in position to qualify for the eighth place spot in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, which they were unable to do the previous year.
