The girls soccer team remains undefeated after yesterday’s tie against Mercy High School and is still ranked first in the WBAL-Skyline division with a record of 14-0-0. They will be at home against Eastside College Prep for this Friday’s Kicks Against Cancer game, which starts at 4:30 p.m.
After wins on Friday and Monday, boys soccer holds an impressive 12-1-1 overall record, and is in action against Priory today. They will face Sacred Heart Prep this Friday for their Kicks Against Cancer game, set to start at 7 p.m.
At 21-1, girls basketball’s hold on first in the WBAL-Skyline division remains strong. They will face Castilleja on Thursday, which is also their Senior Night. A special ceremony will be held to honor the graduating seniors at 6:15 p.m., 15 minutes before the tipoff.
Boys basketball traveled to Sacramento on Saturday for a game against Priory at the Golden 1 Center (home of the Sacramento Kings), losing 31-52. They are 10-12 following yesterday’s loss against Menlo.
The annual Kicks Against Cancer fundraiser will return in early January to benefit Camp Okizu, the nonprofit organization that provides outdoor activities and programs to families with children battling cancer. In addition to being affected by the wave of closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Camp Okizu was also impacted by the North Complex fire that ravaged Northern California in fall 2020. Last week, Camp Okizu announced plans to host both in-person and virtual activities in 2022.
For this year’s Kicks Against Cancer fundraiser, the boys and girls varsity soccer teams partnered with Chipotle, located at 1645 Saratoga Ave., Ste. 10, San Jose, raising more than $800. Customers who visited the restaurant on Monday afternoon donated a portion of the cost of their purchases by mentioning to the cashier that they were participating in the Kicks Against Cancer fundraiser. A special promo code was used for online orders. Students are selling T-shirts and baked goods during the week of Jan. 4 and on the day of the Kicks Against Cancer soccer games on Jan. 7 at Davis Field, which will start at 3 p.m. as the JV boys soccer team takes on Menlo. Girls varsity will take the field at 4:30 p.m. to face Monte Vista Christian and boys varsity will play Menlo at 6:30 p.m.
Last month’s Kicks Against Cancer soccer game raised $2,756 for Camp Okizu, a nonprofit organization that offers outdoor activities for children with cancer and their families. Harker’s annual soccer game, started in 2010 by members of the upper school girls varsity soccer team, raises funds by selling tickets, T-shirts, bracelets, baked goods and the chance to kick soccer balls at faculty members in the popular halftime game called “Butts Up.”
“I have been watching the upperclassmen run Kicks Against Cancer since I was a freshman,” said Krishna Bheda, grade 12, who led the effort this year. “I have appreciated how raising this money for Camp Okizu can really make a difference.”
Each year, the fundraiser is held around the start of the spring semester, and culminates with an evening series of games featuring Harker soccer teams. This year, the upper school girls faced off with Castilleja, and the varsity and junior varsity boys teams played against Menlo.
In the process of planning the event over the years, team members have met with families helped by Camp Okizu and representatives from the organization. “Because of this, it has become really near and dear to my heart,” Bheda said.
Planning for this year’s event started at the beginning of the soccer season. Bheda said her team of organizers – made up of seniors Adyant Kanakamedala, Meena Gudapati and Stephanie Scaglia and junior Julia Amick – helped make sure that the planning process went smoothly.
Several other student groups on campus also contributed to the fundraising mission. The Student Council set up a tailgate to sell food during the games, and the Spirit Club promoted the event on social media and during lunchtime on campus. Students also prepared baked goods to sell, and members of other soccer teams created posters and videos to raise further awareness. “It was a great bonding experience,” Bheda said.
Organizers for this year’s Kicks Against Cancer raised funds during lunch on Wednesday by selling T-shirts that will be worn at the Friday soccer event. Every year, Kicks Against Cancer donates the proceeds from the sales to Camp Okizu, an organization that offers camp programs to families with children diagnosed with cancer.
Students also promoted the event by setting up a special “soccer bowling” game, in which participants kicked a ball at a set of pins for a chance to win a pass that would allow them to bypass the lunch line.
A total of three games will be played at Davis Field on Friday as part of the fundraiser. Boys junior varsity will play Menlo at 3 p.m., girls varsity will face off against Castilleja at 4:30 p.m. and the final game will feature boys varsity against Menlo at 6:15 p.m.