![“[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 girls basketball secured a 53-35 win over Castilleja High School in the Zhang Gymnasium on Friday.
Harker lost the tip-off, but neither team scored any points during the opening minutes as they struggled to break through the other’s defenses. Guard Isabella Lo (12) scored the first layup of the game, followed by another shot from center Emily Mitnick (12) to bring the score to 4-0 with four minutes left in the quarter. Castilleja responded with a strong offensive push, gaining momentum to take an 8-6 lead. However, Harker secured control of the game and surged ahead with quick counterattacks. Isabella closed out the quarter with another layup, ending at a 15-8 advantage for the Eagles.
As the second quarter progressed, the Gators scored a series of layups while blocking the Eagles’ shots, pulling ahead 19-16 with two minutes left in the half. Harker fought to close the gap, with guard Jillian Chen (9) driving to the basket for a successful layup, but Castilleja continued to extend its lead. A free throw from a Castilleja player ended the quarter at 23-18 to the Gators.
During halftime, the Varsity cheerleading team performed their routine on the court. Throughout the game, the team also led the crowd in chants. Cheerleader Julia Liu (9) reflected on her experience supporting the game, as cheerleaders typically perform at varsity games.
“It’s hard to play a game with a silent crowd,” Julia said. “Having spirit and cheering definitely boosts morale. And not just from the cheer team—it’s important for spirit to come from the crowd; our team is small so we depend a lot on the crowds to cheer.”
The third quarter opened with a series of shot attempts from both sides. A minute in, guard Claire Yu (11) intercepted Castelleja’s pass. The Eagles followed that up with a three-pointer and another layup, closing the gap to 23-24. Castelleja responded with a three-pointer and layup, but Harker kept the score close with another three-pointer and two successful free throws. Strong coordination throughout the latter half of the quarter resulted in several more points, securing Harker a 36-29 lead.
“We work really well together,” forward Finley Ho (10) said. “Coming out of a quarter that we had just lost by twelve, we just really brought up the intensity. That really set the tone for the second half that we had, which allowed us to pull away from Casti. This was a huge win; we have a really strong team this year, and it’s really great to see us going so far.”
Harker continued their energy heading into the fourth quarter, scoring several shots that widened their lead to 14 points at 43-29. Castelleja attempted several shots across the court, hitting a clean three-pointer and drawing fouls for free-throw opportunities. Harker continued to dominate on both ends of the court, stopping multiple plays from Castelleja and making plays of their own on offense.
“We performed really well, especially in the second half,” Claire said. We were aggressive on both offense and defense, and this flustered the other team and let us break away and widen our lead. Hopefully, we can finish off the rest of the season strong and also make a deep CCS run; keep the momentum going, keep it up.”
Finley banked in a three-pointer halfway into the quarter, and Isabella scored several layups, weaving through defense to finish at the basket. With a minute left, Jillian drew a foul and hit both free throws. The game ended with a decisive Harker victory, 53-35.
Finley’s father, Ron Ho, discussed the team’s performance and his hopes for their future games.
“It was a close game,” Ho said. “Castilleja is a good school, and they’re well-coached. When the [Harker] team came back, buckled down and played very hard defense, that’s what got us to win. There’s no easy game; every time they have a tough game, it builds more confidence. I really want to see them keep winning, and keep building their confidence, because that’s what’s going to take them to victory in CCS.”
The team holds a 16-3 overall record and will next play Mercy High School on Tuesday at the College of San Mateo.
