![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[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)
Girls basketball secures 46-36 victory over Independence High School in tense match
Members on the girls basketball team clap as the Eagles score. The team clinched a tight victory over Independence High School during a home game on Dec. 17, with a final score of 46-36.
December 24, 2022
The girls varsity basketball team clinched a tight victory over Independence High School during a home game on Dec. 17, with a final score of 46-36.
The Eagles initially got off to a shaky start, trailing behind Independence’s lead. However, Harker eventually managed to catch up and tie the score at 7-7, prompting a timeout from the other team.
“We struggled a little bit in the beginning with getting ahead and getting a big lead on the other team,” post player Emily Mitnick (10) said. “So that was an obstacle that was rough for us.”
Following the time out, both teams played with the same intensity, with neither team scoring. Point guard Claire Miao (11) then scored a two-pointer, shifting the score to 9-7 with the Eagles in the lead. Independence followed shortly after with a two-pointer of their own, bumping the score to 9-9.
From there, the Eagles proceeded to pull ahead. With a successful free throw and several two-pointers made in succession, Harker established a lead of 18-9. Independence missed both free-throws, and the Eagles held a lead of 20-9 at halftime.
Following halftime, the Eagles started with the ball, with both Claire and Emily scoring and bringing the score up to 24-9. By the time Independence’s team were given free throws, the score was held at 26-9. Independence began to gain momentum again following their two successful free throws. With the scoreboard at 26-15, Harker was able to take a slight lead with Isabella Lo (10) making the free-throws, bumping the score to 28-15.
Independence continued to play with renewed persistence despite Harker’s lead, the third quarter ending 30-20. Following the third quarter, Independence’s team played fiercely, scoring several times in a row while Harker fell behind. With the Eagles trailing 31-30, Independence earned two free-throws, giving them a larger boost of 33-30. Harker managed to make one free throw, pushing the score to 31-33. A time-out followed.
With one minute left in the game, the Eagles managed to tie the score at 33-33. Isabella made another free-throw, moving the score to 34-33. Independence came back with a three-pointer right before Isabella made two free throws again, tying the score at 36-36.
“We had a lot of defensive lapses,” Isabella said. “On offense, we also weren’t running our place right or doing what we were supposed to do. That’s why it was really close when it should have been a blowout from the start.”
An extra four minutes were added for overtime, with the Eagles taking the lead and scoring three two-pointers in a row that raised the score to 43-36. With one free throw, the scoreboard changed to 44-36, and solidifying the win, Isabella scored with a last shot. The final score was 46-36.
Post-game, Isabella reflected on the team’s performance and how the team could build upon following the game.
“We played really well during overtime, and overtime was what we should’ve done during the game,” Isabella said. “We have the fundamentals down but focusing on [the] details [in practice] will help us in the game.”
