![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[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)
Junior varsity boys basketball bested Monta Vista High School in a close 58-54 game in the Zhang Gymnasium on Wednesday.
Center Rishik Sehgal (10) won the opening tip-off, but Monta Vista scored the first points of the game with a three-pointer. The Matadors surged ahead to a 7-0 lead before Rishik and forward Mason Chang (9) quickly responded with free throws and layups to even the score. Monta Vista continued to pull ahead in the rest of the first quarter, finishing the period with a 22-12 lead over Harker.
The Eagles started off the second quarter strong with guard Eric Zhang (9) scoring a three-pointer. Both sides missed several chances, but Harker soon regained momentum and went on a ten-point run to tie the score 22-22 halfway into the period, with guard Noe Parra (9) making a three-pointer. Harker defenders closely guarded Monta Vista attackers, and the away side held only a narrow 32-29 lead over Harker at halftime.
“I wasn’t scared of how close it was because we practiced really hard, so the games are easy for us,” Eric said. “At the beginning of the game we dug ourselves in a hole, but we handled their pressure really well, and we played great defense.”
At the start of the third quarter, Noe created a fastbreak opportunity, but the Matadors quickly regained possession. Throughout the period, both teams made layups to keep the score neck and neck. Guard Joey Diffenderfer (10) knocked down a three-pointer, and Rishik sank two free throws to bring the score to a 43-43 tie at the end of the period.
“It was exhilarating because we were behind or tied for most of the game,” spectator George Wang said. “The game was so close, and at the end I thought for sure the other team was gonna pull up.”
Both teams attempted three-pointers at the start of the fourth quarter but hit the rim. Monta Vista’s defense made it difficult for Harker to score, but an abundance of fouls from both sides in the final period allowed the Eagles to knock down free throws and gain a 56-50 lead with three minutes remaining. Monta Vista responded with a layup and a jump shot to cut the deficit to 56-54 with ninety seconds left. After a misplaced pass cost Harker possession, Monta Vista pushed to score in the final minute, but Harker’s strong defense and free throws by Eric and guard Ethan Xu (9) secured a 58-54 victory.
“The game went really well today,” Head Coach Bryan Gatchalian said. “The kids played at their highest potential with a lot of energy, and that’s how we came out with the W. We got a good group of kids, and I’m looking forward to getting better in the rest of the season.”
Mason reflected on the close finish and how his team battled back to win after falling behind early on in the game.
“It was a good team win for us, considering we came back from a 10-point deficit in the first quarter,” Mason said. “I’m glad that we were able to work it up in the second half of the game, especially since we’re considered the underdogs in this matchup.”
Junior varsity boys basketball currently holds a season record of 2-0 and will play Saratoga High School away at the James Lick Invitational today.
