![“[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)
Freshman and sophomore boys basketball team triumphs over Nueva
Liam Jeffers (9) waits for the referee’s call while a teammate gestures to indicate the Eagles had possession of the ball. The referee decided in the Eagles’ favor.
January 18, 2022
The freshman and sophomore boys basketball team defeated Nueva 45-30 last Tuesday for their first win of the season.
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead, scoring a series of two-pointers and a free throw to go up 9-3 by the end of the first quarter. Nueva gained control of the game in the second quarter, outscoring the Eagles 18-9 and heading into halftime with a 21-18 lead.
Using techniques like a full-court press, where defenders block the offensive team’s mobility to prevent them from easily making plays, the Eagles were able to reclaim their advantage in the second half with a series of unanswered baskets, resulting in a 37-23 lead at the end of the third quarter, and eventually, a dominant 45-30 victory.
“The boys played hard,” said Jake Burriss, the freshman and sophomore boys basketball coach. “They went down early in the first half, but they bounced back in the second half.”
Over the course of the season, Panav Gogte (10) has seen the team strengthen its bond, which he credits with the Eagles’ smooth performance on Tuesday.
“After every game, we make sure to [share] our favorite thing that happened in practice or at the game, which [was] really good team bonding,” Panav said. “The game was a great effort by our team on both sides of the court, defense and offense.”
The Eagles remain optimistic about the three games left on their schedule. They will play King’s Academy twice — today and next Tuesday — and then wrap up their season with a home rematch against Nueva on Jan. 28.
“They learned today that they can get it done, they’ve known that all the way,” Burriss said. “This first win is big for them, to put all the months of hard work and follow through in the end.”
