![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[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)
Live updates: Soccer teams host last annual Kicks Against Cancer
JV player Anton Novikov (11) fights to possess the ball from a Pinewood player during the annual Kicks Against Cancer event.
January 10, 2020
8:15 p.m.
Coming out of the half following a dominant first half showing for the Eagles, the Eagles and the Woodside Priory Panthers’s defenses held strong, causing both teams to remain scoreless for the first 25 minutes of the second half. The Eagles offense wasn’t to be contained for long though, as Tuhin Chatterjee (11) punched in another score for the Eagles’ sixth of the day.
Concluding a strong performance by all three Harker soccer teams on the night, the boys took home the victory 6 – 1.
7:20 p.m.
The boys varsity team is up 5-1 by the end of the first half of their game against Woodside Priory, with goals by Andrew Cheplansky (12), Muthu Panchanatham (10) and Ishaan Mantripragada (10). The players are off to an impressive start and hope to maintain their strong lead throughout the second half.
During the halftime, members from both varsity teams presented a faux check of $1000 to two Camp Okizu campers, as sophomore Ashley Barth briefly addressed the crowd and expressed her appreciation for Harker’s dedication to supporting the camp.
6:15 p.m.
The Eagles came out strong in the second half and cut the the Notre Dame Regent’s lead to 1 following a goal by sophomore Megha Salvi. The girls played a strong brand of defense and maintained possession for a majority of the second half, and Megha’s second goal of the day tied up the scores of 2. From that point on, both teams’ defenses held on tight, and the game ended in a 2-2 draw, with Harker making a thrilling second half come back after being down 2 – 0.
The boys varsity team will begin their match at 6:30 p.m.
Lexi Wong pushes past a Notre Dame Belmont defender as she attempts to steal the ball during the girls game at the Kicks Against Cancer event.
5:45 p.m.
Varsity girls soccer faced a tough first half against Notre Dame, giving up two points to their opponents to end with a score of 2-0. Regardless, the team put up a fight till the end, with their defense pushing forward to continue moving the ball up the field.
During the halftime, the crowd watched the cheerleading team’s performance, with the small group able to get attendees excited and on their feet in preparation for the remainder of the night. Members from the soccer team continued to sell goods at the concession stands, and all proceeds made will go towards the Kicks Against Cancer fundraiser and Camp Okizu.
4:30 p.m.
After a tight game, the boys JV team won the first Kicks Against Cancer game of the night, beating Pinewood 1-0 with a goal by Mir Bahri (9) two minutes before the match ended. Despite some close calls, the players were able to maintain their lead and prevent their opponents from scoring, also aided by a close save from goalie Andrew Vodinh-Ho (10).
“I came to the game to support Kicks Against Cancer with my [basketball] team, Annmaria Antony (9), who was watching the JV team play, said. “Definitely seeing the players out here playing their hardest and all the money going for a good cause makes you feel good inside. Harker looks really good out on the field.”
The girls varsity team will play next at 4:45 p.m. and will feature the cheerleaders for their halftime performance.
3:45 p.m.
Following the conclusion of the first half of the JV soccer game, the boys are currently tied with Pinewood 0-0. Both teams have been evenly matched, despite close calls on either side.
On the sidelines, students, faculty and parents cheer in support of the players, while members of the varsity teams sell baked goods, clothes and other merchandise.
2:30 p.m.
The boys and girls soccer teams will host the last annual Kicks Against Cancer event today, a school-wide fundraiser to spread awareness for Camp Okizu, which is a free summer program for families affected by childhood cancer. Players have been selling blankets, lanyards and other goods every day this week to raise money for the camp, and they helped organize a Chipotle fundraiser on Wednesday on behalf of the cause.
Girls varsity member Ashley Barth (10) holds up a tray of brownies while selling baked goods and merchandise with her teammates during lunch on Friday.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for us to play for something that’s more than just ourselves. We’ve had this really long-term relationship with Camp Okizu, and we’re super excited,” Ashley Barth (10), a varsity soccer player, said.
The junior varsity boys will play Pinewood at 3 p.m., followed by the girls varsity game against Notre Dame-San Jose at 4:45 p.m. and the boys varsity game against Woodside Priory at 6:30 p.m. Keep checking this link for live updates on the entire event.
High school students watch the Kicks Against Cancer games last year, wearing shirts sold at the soccer teams’ fundraiser. After this year, the event will no longer be an annual one, following eleven years since it was initiated in 2009.
