![“[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)
cyrVarsity boys soccer conceded a 2-5 defeat in a hard-fought match against Monta Vista on Dec. 11 at Davis Field.
After 11 minutes of back-and-forth play, Harker’s defense slipped, and Monta Vista scored the first goal of the game. Following more unsuccessful goal attempts from both sides, forward and midfielder Cyrus Ghane (11) earned a penalty kick and successfully scored with 9 minutes left in the first half, tying the score 1-1. Monta Vista regained the lead with a goal off a high ball in the last minutes of the first period, bringing the score to 2-1.
Cyrus’s father Kamron Ghane commended the boys for their coordinated team effort.
“Especially in the first half, they were doing good passes and had strong plays,” Ghane said. “These are still pre-season games, so they are figuring out their arrangements and how they play together and how everyone plays, but overall it was a good fight.”
The Eagles entered the second half with renewed momentum. Receiving a pass from forward, midfielder, and team captain Alec Zhang (12), Cyrus dodged defenders and narrowly missed a goal attempt. Monta Vista gained possession of the ball and secured an opening to shoot a goal, but goalkeeper Cameron Jones (10) narrowly blocked the shot.
After strong passes from defender Veer Sahasi (12) and forward Vova Schegrov (10), Harker nearly tied the game, but Monta Vista cleared the ball out of bounds before a shot could be made.
With the score at 1-2, Cameron saved another close shot from Monta Vista. However, Monta Vista rebounded with a second successful shot, maintaining their lead 3-1. In response to Monta Vista’s goal, Vova weaved past defenders and scored a goal for Harker, narrowing the gap to 2-3.
“We had a lot of good communication—it’s been lacking before, but we really organized together,” Vova said. “The other team was very chaotic, and we capitalized on that.”
The score remained stagnant for the rest of the game as the Eagles struggled to move the ball out of their side of the field. Cameron blocked another close shot by Monta Vista with seven minutes left on the clock. Off a foul, Monta Vista earned a freekick, but Cameron successfully deflected the ball from entering the goal.
With just two minutes left, Monta Vista broke through Harker’s back line, scoring as Cameron advanced too far forward and left the goal undefended. After another foul from the Eagles, Monta Vista managed to squeeze in another goal from a penalty kick. As the clock ticked down to its final seconds, the Eagles failed to score more goals, and the match concluded with the Eagles losing 2-5.
Despite the loss, the team remains optimistic about their future. With several new players joining the team, the Eagles are focusing on building team chemistry both on and off the field. Alec emphasized the importance of communication and teamwork in their performance.
“Overall, we were the better team, with a few defensive mistakes here and there that cost us those first two goals,” Alec said. “It’s a very stressful week for a lot of players, so it’s important to motivate them to get in the game, communicate with them to make sure they’re playing their best, and help them up when they get knocked down.”
The team holds a 2-1 record and is scheduled to play Mills High School on Dec. 20.
