![“[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 soccer settled a 3-3 tie against Mills High School on Dec. 20 at Mills High School.
Harker started the game strong with a goal by forward Vova Shchegrov (10) for a score of 1-0. Ball possession went back and forth across the teams until the Eagles earned a corner-kick and midfielder Christian Mehta (9) headed the ball into the goal, bringing the score to 2-0.
Due to a dangerous tackle, a Mills player injured captain and midfielder Alec Zhang (12), forcing him to sit out for the rest of the game. After unsuccessful shots from both teams, the first half concluded.
“Our communication is really high and we’re recording them, especially on their defense.” Christian said. “The injuries impacted the team a little bit, but we adjusted.”
Fullback Jackson Powell played an important role in the Eagle’s defense in the first half. He emphasized the importance of teamwork and a strong start following the team’s recent goal.
“Scoring early is always a key part of starting a good game.” Jackson said. “We’ve improved on our marking. That was something that our coach stressed after our last game. We did a good job of coming out there and making sure that everyone’s working together.”
The Vikings kept possession of the ball and shifted the game to Harker’s half of the field. Due to Harker’s poor communication, a Mills player ran through the Eagle’s defense and earned a goal with a header for a score of 2-1. Forward and midfielder Cyrus Ghane (11) regained possession of the ball and dodged past defenders to pass the ball to Vova, who attempted a goal. On the following goal kick, forward Vouk Praun-Petrovic (11) scored another goal, bringing the score to 3-1.
Late into the second half, Mills regained the ball and rushed through Harker’s defense for a swift goal, bringing the score to 3-2. After a foul on defender Veer Sahasi (12), Mills earned a penalty and scored again, tying the game 3-3. With time running out, the Eagles brought the game back to Mill’s half of the field. While charging towards Mills, a Mills defender tripped Vova, resulting in a free kick. However, the Eagles missed the goal and Mills pushed the game back onto Harker’s side of the field. Both offenses failed to score more goals, concluding the match with 3-3.
Head coach Seena Sajadieh assessed what caused Harker to lose their lead in the second half.
“We weren’t able to have the same performance in the second half that we had in the first and that leaves room for some fatigue and some errors,” Sajadieh said. ”There’s more to come from this team. I hope that they learn from it and we move forward.”
The team holds a 2-1-1 record and plays Eastside College Prep next on Jan. 8.
