![“[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)
Varsity boys water polo defeated Palo Alto High School 11-6 at the Singh Aquatic Center on Tuesday.
From the swim-off, Palo Alto won the possession. The Eagles quickly stole the ball back, connecting passes and firing off three shots in succession. Keeping a tight cover of the net, the Vikings’ goalie blocked shots to hold off the Eagles’ offense. Harker continued to probe Palo Alto’s defense, snapping sharp passes and eventually delivering the ball to senior Oskar Baumkart who scored the first goal.
The Vikings responded immediately, advancing the ball down the field and launching a shot that tied the score 1-1. Preventing Palo Alto from taking the lead, goalie Alejandro Cheline (11) saved a penalty shot attempt. Harker regained their footing, putting away several shots. In the last play of the quarter, captain Vyom Vidyarthi (12) scored a power shot, bringing Harker’s lead to 4-2.
Varsity boys water polo head coach Lee McBride recognized Vyom’s vital role in the team’s success against the Vikings. Throughout the game, Vyom set an example for his teammate to follow.
“Not only did Vyom score some crucial goals out there for us, he made a big impact on defense,” McBride said. “The boys came together well, in terms of understanding their role and how they were going to contribute defensively and that generated the offense.”
Oskar opened the second quarter with an immediate goal. The Vikings retaliated with a counter, closing down on Harker’s lead as they tied the score 5-5. Despite aggressive attacks by Harker and Palo Alto, both sides were unable to score, with shots bouncing off the posts, and goalies making diving saves. Amidst a scramble in front of the Eagles’ net, Alejandro cleared the ball off the goal line, garnering cheers from the audience.
In the second half, Harker shifted the momentum in their favor. Retaining the majority of the possession, the Eagles launched swift attacks, pushing through the Vikings’ defense. Vyom’s two consecutive goals pulled Harker in front. Senior Adam Pawliger commended the team’s perseverance throughout the close match.
“We got off to a slow start, but particularly after the third quarter, we started taking advantage of counters more and picking up speed,” Adam said. “That’s where we closed out the game.”
Harker dominated the fourth quarter, preventing Palo Alto from any shooting opportunities. Off a Viking foul, Vyom sent the ball flying into the back of the net with a strong penalty shot. Vyom continued his scoring streak with a goal from half-court. Sophomore David Kelly scored a final goal which sealed the Eagle’s victory 11-6.
After the game, junior Ruhan Aurora attributed their success to the team’s strong camaraderie, especially after a tough defeat in their previous league match.
“We played well together as a team –it was a rebound from last week’s loss against Los Gatos,” Ruhan said. “We were able to communicate, pass the ball and shoot well, which is the most important thing for us. It allowed us to win the game as a whole.”
Varsity boys water polo currently holds a league record of 2-1 and faces Los Altos High School next on Sept. 24.
