Coaches always tell their players to use their head. Bentonville took that literally in the 7A soccer quarterfinals.
Zach Estrada and Josh Howard each headed home goals to push the Tigers past Rogers 2-0 at Fayetteville High School.
"We’ve been pretty good on set pieces all year," Bentonville coach Mike Devaney said. "Certainly the first goal on the back post was a terrific header. The second was a bit of good fortune. It was good service but obviously looping over the goal keeper, that could have been anywhere but certainly very pleased with the way we played today."
Bentonville likes to run their offense through Howard but it was a free kick that the junior let go by that let to the game's first goal.
"I usually stay behind Josh," Estrada said. "Our plays go through Josh Howard on set pieces. Josh let that go right to my head and lucky I got the ball in the goal."
Howard didn't pass up an opportunity midway through the second half as he found the back of the net and helped makeup for what he called an off game.
"I didn’t have a really good game so I guess it was good to get that, get me back into the game and ensure the win," Howard said.
Bentonville will face 7A-West rival Springdale on Saturday with a berth in the 7A title game on the line.