Fall Seasons Draw to a Close: Golfer Reaches Pinnacle; XC Runners Gain State Rank; League Tournaments Approach

This week, the boys and girls varsity water polo teams and the varsity girls tennis team are preparing for their league tournaments, while the varsity girls volleyball team prepares for the final senior night of the fall season. Meanwhile, Kristine Lin, grade 12, has become the most-accomplished girls golfer in Harker history. The end of the fall season is upon us and the playoffs are coming up! Here are the results from the last week of Harker athletics:

ALL THREE TEAMS BEAT CUPERTINO AHEAD OF THIS WEEK’S LEAGUE TOURNAMENTS

All three water polo teams beat Cupertino last Thursday to celebrate Harker’s senior day in style. For the girls, Anna Levine, grade 12, and Delaney Martin, grade 11, each scored two goals, and Lea Daran, grade 12, added another to lead the team to a 5-4 victory. Goalie Helena Dworak, grade 10, had eight blocks. The varsity boys crushed the Pioneers 15-3, then competed in the Homestead Tournament over the weekend. The highlight of the tournament for Harker was the boys’ 13-7 victory over Liberty High. In that game, Eric Holt, grade 11, led the team with four goals. Jeremy Binkley, grade 11, scored three times. Raymond Xu, grade 9, had two goals, and Karan Kurbur, grade 12, and Billy Bloomquist, grade 11, each had one.

Both the boys and the girls play in league tournaments this next week. The girls play Wilcox at Cupertino at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, while the boys will play Thursday through Saturday at Saratoga High.

​Golf:​

​KRISTINE LIN BECOMES MOST DECORATED GOLFER IN HARKER HISTORY​

Kristine Lin, grade 12, is now the most-decorated girls golfer in Harker history after breaking yet another Harker record, shooting a 79 in CCS competition to place 24th out of 100 golfers. Lin was this year’s league champion, making this the second year in a row in which she has captured that title.

GIRLS GO 1-1 AFTER NAIL-BITER AGAINST ST. FRANCIS

Girls volleyball defeated Priory in straight sets last week, then lost a five-set nail-biter to perennial powerhouse St. Francis on Friday night in front of a raucous Harker crowd. Divya Kalidindi, grade 12, led the Eagles with 20 kills. On Tuesday, the girls host first place Menlo, then will play their senior night against Mercy San Francisco on Thursday. Their senior night is the final senior night of the fall season.

GIRLS HEAD INTO LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

Girls tennis finished its regular season at 9-6 after a loss to Castilleja and win against Notre Dame last week. Today, the girls compete in the league tournament at Menlo.

UNDEFEATED DREAM ENDS FOR JV

The junior varsity team suffered its first loss of the year on Friday against Cupertino. The team scored on a touchdown pass from Keanu Forbes, grade 11, to Nikhil Ramgiri, grade 10, and an extra point kick by Alyssa Amick, grade 11. The team hosts North Salinas on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Davis Field.

GONZALES AND IYER BOTH RANKED IN STATE LISTINGS

In the California Interscholastic Federation’s Individual Divisional Rankings, Harker’s Corey Gonzales, grade 11, is ranked 10th among Division 4 boys, while freshman Niki Iyer is ranked sixth among Division 4 girls. Cross country competes in the WBAL Championship this Friday.

​Today​, the varsity girls tennis team plays in the league tournament at Menlo. Both girls volleyball teams play Menlo at home, with junior varsity playing at 4:30 p.m. and varsity playing at 5:45 p.m. Then, at 6:45 p.m., the varsity girls water polo team plays Wilcox High School in an away game.

All teams are off on Wednesday. On Thursday, both varsity water polo teams have games, with the girls playing in the SCVAL tournament and the boys playing Fremont High School on the road at 4:20 p.m. Both girls volleyball teams have games at home against Mercy High San Francisco. Junior varsity plays at 4:30 p.m., then varsity plays their senior night game at 5:45 p.m.

On Friday, the varsity girls and boys water polo teams compete in the SCVAL Tournament. Varsity cross country competes in the WBAL Championships at 2 p.m.

On Saturday, the boys varsity water polo team continues play in the SCVAL Tournament, while junior varsity football plays North Salinas at 11 a.m.