![“[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)
The junior varsity boys volleyball team defeated Lynbrook in a two-set sweep, 25-18 and 25-22, on March 29.
The Eagles started the first set with the serve, immediately winning the point off a mis-hit from the Lynbrook Vikings. Opening the match with strong offensive energy, Harker widened their early lead, with back-to-back spikes from middle Ethan Gu (9) and outside hitter Connor King (9) putting Harker ahead 12-6 and forcing a Lynbrook timeout.
The Eagles scored the first point out of the timeout, with a decisive ace by libero Dillon Ho (9). His teammates on the bench broke out into a cheer, chanting “A-C-E, Ace!” in encouragement. Trailing by a 7-point margin, the Vikings called their second timeout.
Emerging with vigor to match Harker’s energy, Lynbrook blocked numerous attempted spikes, breaking the Eagles’ momentum and mounting a comeback. Scoring the next four points, Lynbrook began to narrow down Harker’s advantage. With Harker locked at 23 points, the Vikings went on a 3-0 run, forcing the Eagles to call a timeout. A final kill by David Tang (9) won Harker the first set, 25-18.
Junior varsity boys assistant coach Greg Baker attributed the team’s success to their willingness to take risks with aggressive swings throughout the game.
“I’ve been trying to get it in their heads to take swings,” Baker said. “Don’t be afraid of getting blocked or hitting out, and it worked really well.”
Harker won the first point to open the second set, but Lynbrook rivaled their intensity, sustaining a narrow lead and returning each of Harker’s hits. Locked into a back-and-forth rally, Ethan leaped into the air for a crucial block, giving the Eagles a slight lead, 16-15.
Serving specialist Bazigh Tahirzad (9) complemented his teammate’s ability to adapt to new roles after teammates’ injuries.
“Both of our middles weren’t here, but Ethan managed to fill in the position,” Bazigh said. “He did very well seeing that he doesn’t normally play middle but he learned how to play it very quickly.”
For the rest of the set, Harker held onto their slim lead, with kills from Connor and David setting them on the path to victory. A mis-serve by the Vikings earned Harker the 2-0 win, 25-18 and 25-22.
Originally losing their first face-off against Lynbrook in two sets, on March 13, the Eagles improved significantly since the beginning of the season.
Setter Brandon Labio (9) reflected on how the team was able to bond with each other over the past month, their collaboration manifesting as combinations on the court, which allowed them to bounce back from their previous defeat.
“We definitely played like more of a unit today, and we were able to huddle after each point,” Brandon said. “That really helped us connect better.”
With a current league record of 2-4, the junior varsity boys volleyball team will compete against Homestead in the Zhang Gym on April 12.
