Last week, girls soccer won their season opener against Monta Vista with a score of 5-0. They’re headed to Andrew Hill on Tuesday and will return to Harker on Thursday against Del Mar.
Girls basketball won 44-31 over Sobrato on Tuesday in their home opener. Their schedule this week sees them facing Lincoln on Tuesday, Overfelt on Thursday and San Jose High on Saturday, all at home.
After last week’s loss to Monta Vista, boys basketball looks to bounce back on Tuesday against University Prep before heading to BASIS on Friday.
Boys water polo’s historic season ended the weekend before Thanksgiving break with a 13-7 loss to Gunn High. Their CIF Northern California Championship run included wins over Dixon and Ponderosa. Congratulations to the team on a fantastic season.
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.