![“[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)
Eagles defeat Burton High 58-0 in ‘blackout’ home game
Harker stands at the line of scrimmage before the start of a play. The upper school football team defeated Burton High School with a score of 58-0 on Friday at Davis Field.
September 19, 2022
The upper school varsity football team dominated Burton High School with a score of 58-0 at their “blackout” home game on Friday.
The Eagles took the lead in the first quarter, scoring three touchdowns. Quarterback Rohan Ghorti (12) ran the ball to the end zone, which was followed by a blocked punt by kicker and punter Ryan Barth (11). Following a fourth down, Harker regained possession of the ball, and Rohan scored their second touchdown five minutes into the game. The Eagles then elected for a two point conversion, which was completed with a pass by Rohan to wide receiver and defensive back Zeke Weng (12). Later, offensive line and defensive line Kevin Bettencourt (11) deflected a pass from the Pumas, giving Harker the ball and opening up for the third touchdown by Rohan and a blocked punt by Ryan.
Upper school English teacher Christopher Hurshman, along with the rest of the crowd, came out on Friday night to watch the home game.
“I hope that the momentum keeps up and that we keep showing up for the team,” Hurshman said. “I’m excited when it seems like the fans and the team are on the same page, and we’re all supporting the community.”
Harker entered the second quarter with a score of 20-0. Rohan’s pass intended for Zeke fell incomplete, resulting in a third down. Shortly after, running back, linebacker and defensive back Dylan Parikh (12) scored a touchdown for the Eagles. Following a tackle made by Dylan, one of Burton’s players went down on the field, leading the Eagles to take a knee. Rohan made a pass to Liam Jeffers (10), resulting in Liam scoring a second touchdown. Ryan’s extra point following the touchdown brought the score to 35-0. With 25 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Sahil Varma (10) made a tackle, leading the team into halftime.
During the third quarter, Harker continued their strong offense with a tackle made by Kevin which resulted in Burton losing their yardage for the play. Maintaining the momentum, Bowen Xia (10) caught Burton’s punt, allowing Harker to regain the offensive position. The Eagles scored another touchdown, by Rohan, and the kick by Ryan was good to give another point. Towards the end of the quarter, captain, offensive lineman and linebacker Nicholas Delfino (12) intercepted the ball in a pass by Burton and ran a touchdown, bringing the final score in the third quarter to 51-0.
Head coach and alumni Siddarth “Sid” Krishnamurti (‘15) is especially proud of the pay-off that the team’s hard work is finally producing.
“I came here to change the culture of Harker football and get it back to the way it was, and I think these guys have bought in since January, and finally we’re seeing the fruition of all this on the field,” Coach Sid said.
In the final quarter of the game, wide receiver and defensive back Bowen secured Harker’s final touchdown of the game.
Nicholas reflects on how the past two wins on home soil boosted the team’s confidence for future games and how the energy of the Harker crowd helped them secure wins for the team.
“We’ve won three games in a row, so I just want to keep that going,” Nicholas said.“We have four games left in the season, so winning seven games would be the goal.”
The Eagles will face Crystal Springs Uplands this Friday on Davis Field.
