![“[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)
Junior pitches perfect game: Mark Hu ties CCS record with 18 strikeouts
Mark Hu (11) pitches during the baseball team’s game against Crystal Springs. Mark pitched a perfect game against Priory on May 11, in which he struck out a record-setting 18 batters, making Harker and CCS history.
May 23, 2021
Mark Hu (11) pitched a perfect game for the Eagles against Priory on May 11, making Harker and Central Coast Section (CCS) history with a record-tying 18 strikeouts. A perfect pitching game in baseball involves not allowing any opposing batter to reach first base over the course of at least nine innings. Mark threw a total of 86 pitches in the Eagles’ 15-0 shutout victory, which brought the baseball team’s season record to 9-0 in league play and 11-4 overall.
“It was definitely a really fulfilling moment, knowing that the work I put in during practice paid off. However, I know that it’s just one step along the way and that I need to continue getting better and pushing myself forward,” Mark said.
Mike Delfino, head coach of the baseball team, describes Mark as an “excellent teammate” who serves as a great role model for younger athletes due to his work ethic and dedication towards improvement.
“Mark is a very quiet person, definitely not a ra-ra guy, but a hard worker who is always trying to get better as a player,” Coach Delfino said. “Younger players can see how he’s working to improve and how much he has improved in the last few years, and he inspires them to work hard as well. Mark is an excellent leader-by-example and every team needs a few of those.”
Mark attributes his pitching success to his consistency and resilience, as well as to the guidance of his catcher, Nick Coulter (12).
“I think my biggest strength is my consistency and being able to bounce back from mistakes. I think a big part of that is due to Nick, our catcher, who helps me stay on track and pitch the best I can through the entire game,” Mark said.
Coach Delfino seconds this notion, also highlighting Mark’s control and steady demeanor as the two biggest factors contributing to his stellar play.
“One of his biggest strengths is his control. He can throw many different pitches for strikes consistently and that makes it tough for any hitter, since Mark can keep guys off balance by mixing speeds and the type of pitches. The second biggest factor is Mark’s demeanor. He’s unflappable on the mound, just a model of consistency,” Coach Delfino said. “By looking at him, you can’t tell if his team is up or down by 5 runs. Opponents never know if they are getting to him or not and that can be very intimidating.”
Mark also played a crucial role in the game against Priory at bat, racking up three hits and a homerun that earned the Eagles two runs. The team re-matched against Priory two days later, on May 13, and followed up their first victory with a dominant 12-2 performance. After a week off from games, the baseball team will resume competition in the coming days for their final two weeks of league play, starting off with a home match against Crystal Springs Uplands at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
