![“[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 varsity boys volleyball team loses close match to Cupertino High School
The junior varsity boys volleyball team put their fists in the air for a cheer before the start of their match against Cupertino High School. In their practices leading up to the game, the team focused on communication and blocking.
April 4, 2022
The junior varsity boys volleyball team lost to Cupertino High School 23-25, 22-25 on March 26. Coming into the match, the Cupertino Pioneers were ranked third out eight teams in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL).
Before the game, varsity boys volleyball head coach Zac Mattson expressed his hope that the junior varsity team’s focus on communication, team dynamics and blocking in practice would translate to game scenarios.
“One of our goals in this game is to communicate,” Mattson said. “We’ve been working on our team dynamics and our blocking, so I’m excited to see how the game plays out.”
The Eagles started off strong in the first set with a 9-3 lead. Cupertino gained some momentum after a series of unforced errors by Harker, but the Eagles soon regained control of the ball after a dump by setter Jack Shen (10). The teams exchanged points back and forth, but the Pioneers ultimately prevailed, ending the set with a three-point lead.
Harker quickly regained their footing in the start of the second match, but the Pioneers caught up and tied up the score. The Eagles called two timeouts, one halfway through the set and the other when the score was 19-23. But Cupertino managed to score two more points, securing the victory. Outside hitter Rahul Yalla (9) reflects on the team’s weaknesses, as well as some goals he has for their next match.
“I feel like our [passing] was a little weak this time, and in volleyball, every point is a result of the entire team, so even a small mistake can cost us,” Rahul said. “In practice, we’ll work on communication and blocking, and for our next game, I want to work on my timing for my spikes and my mechanics.”
Despite the team’s loss, outside hitter and libero Jordan Labio (10) remained positive since the team remained competitive against a tough opponent and only lost by a few points.
“I think we played really well. Going into this game, we knew that Cupertino was one of the top teams in the league,” Jordan said. “Also, one of our core players was missing, so I’m really proud of the team.”
