![“[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)
Millions worldwide tuned in as the UEFA Champions League semifinals drew to a close on May 7. After an intense set of matches, the stage is set for the tournament’s conclusion, which will feature two teams from the Italian and French leagues – Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, facing off in the final on Saturday.
Sophomore Champions League enthusiast Akash Dubey expressed his excitement for Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembélé, whose stellar performances this season have put him among the frontrunners for soccer’s highest individual honors, the Ballon d’Or, awarded annually to the year’s best men’s player.
“If PSG ends up winning the Champions League, [Dembélé] could definitely win the Ballon d’Or,” Akash said. “The French league is not the most respected out of all the leagues but given the performance he’s put up against these teams from La Liga and the Premier League, they have shown that he is of that caliber and he has shown up in those important matches and he has played his heart out.”
This year marks a new format for the annual competition, which was founded in 1955. Instead of playing in eight separate four-team groups, the 36 clubs participated in a single league phase facing eight opponents – four home games and four away games. The eight highest-ranked teams advanced straight to the round of 16, while teams ninth through 24th held playoff matches to qualify for the knockout phases.
The following knockout rounds, from the Round of 16 to the semifinals, consist of two-legged matchups — one home and one away — with the total scoring, or aggregate, determining the winner. If the aggregate is tied after 90 minutes, an additional 30 minutes of extra time are played, and if the tie still holds, the players will participate in a penalty shootout to determine the winner.
The quarterfinals concluded on April 16. On aggregate, Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich 4-3, Barcelona beat Borussia Dortmund 5-3, Paris Saint-Germain beat Aston Villa 5-4 and Arsenal beat Real Madrid 5-1.
Real Madrid, described by many as a “superteam,” suffered an unexpected quarterfinal loss despite a star-studded lineup. The Spanish champions, winners of a record 15 Champions League titles, entered the tournament as heavy favorites, featuring a starting lineup worth €1.09 billion including stars Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius, Jr., Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Silva de Goes.
After experiencing a controversial red card for Eduardo Camavinga, they lost the first leg against Arsenal 3-0 after two free-kick goals from Declan Rice, ultimately resulting in elimination. Varsity girls soccer player junior Audrey Yang expressed her disappointment with Madrid’s unexpected loss.
“One upsetting thing that happened in the quarterfinals was Real Madrid versus Arsenal,” Audrey said. “Real Madrid’s loss was disappointing, because I thought Real Madrid was going to win, but they ended up playing worse than I thought. Because Arsenal kept playing in their half, they ended up winning 3-0 in the first leg, and Camavinga’s red card also really affected it.”
Junior varsity boys soccer captain Alexander Maxim (9) shared his opinions on Inter’s gameplay so far this season. Recently, Inter Milan, under the coaching of Simone Inzaghi, has utilized a more fluid approach to soccer, with players frequently changing positions to create a varied attack.
“It’s one of the most interesting tactics I’ve seen,” Alexander said. “They’re inverting center backs to strikers and wingers, center mids to defenders. They’re shifting every moment, like ordered chaos. They’ve been able to confuse almost every team, like Bayern Munich. They have a very decent shot at winning the Champions League because of this.”
Alexander made these predictions following the quarterfinals, accurately forecasting Inter Milan’s narrow victory over Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate in a 13-goal series. Barcelona, despite being heavily favored by betting odds, suffered an unexpected and disappointing defeat, ending their Champions League aspirations. The loss marked an exit for the team featuring attacking talents Robert Lewandowski, Raphina, and 17-year-old superstar Lamine Yamal.
On May 6, in the second leg of the semifinals, after a 3-3 tie in the first leg and 3-3 tie in the second leg at regular time, Inter Milan midfielder Davide Fratessi scored a goal in the 99th minute, securing Inter’s victory and sending them to the finals.
In the other semifinal matchup, Paris Saint-Germain secured a hard-fought victory over Arsenal. The French side won the first leg 1-0 at home, before holding on for a 2-1 win in the second leg at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.
The final will take place at Allianz Arena in Munich this Saturday, pitting Inter Milan against Paris Saint-Germain in a clash of two European powerhouses. With both teams displaying strong forms throughout the competition, fans around the world await for a thrilling conclusion to the tournament.
![Senior Gabe Sachse and sophomore Shaurya Jain hug after winning the game. “I don’t want to say goodbye because [the seniors] are my friends outside of baseball as well,” Shaurya said. “Either way, I wanted to go all out for the seniors.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/53-KAT_4240-e1747776384650-1200x778.jpg)
