![“[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)
Winter sports begin playoff competition
February 21, 2020
As winter sports league play comes to an end, Harker basketball and soccer teams turn towards the upcoming playoffs. Having started their seasons in late October, the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs are a culmination of the hard work and determination of the teams.
Girls Soccer
The varsity girls soccer team finished first in its league, with a dominant record of 10-1-1. The girls were defeated 3-0 on Wednesday by Mercy Burlingame in the WBAL playoff game — a hard-fought battle for the last guaranteed CCS playoff spot. Despite the tough loss, the girls overall enjoyed a successful season, securing their first league title since 2014.
Boys Soccer
Varsity boys soccer is seeded third in Division 3 after achieving an overall record of 13-3-3. The team hosts Evergreen Valley on Saturday at 3 p.m. in their third straight CCS appearance. If the boys win on Saturday, they will advance to the semifinals match next Wednesday. The bracket can be found here.
Girls Basketball
Harker varsity girls basketball will also be playing on Saturday, traveling to Carmel in the evening. A win against Carmel will allow the girls to progress to the quarterfinals of the Division 4 playoff bracket. With an overall record of 11-13, the girls seeded ninth and now hope to claim an upset against the eight seeded Carmel team playing away tomorrow at 7 p.m. in the Division IV bracket.
Boys Basketball
Finally, boys varsity basketball qualified to the Divison IV bracket of CCS, playing in a first-round game on Friday at 4 p.m. against Design Tech at home. The boys finished their season 7-17 and expect a close match against the wild card contenders. With a win Friday, the team will face eighth seed Scotts Valley on Saturday, playing away at 7 p.m.
