SOCCER: Timberland outhustles Howell North in sectional

The first goal of Austin Pivac's senior season could not have come at a better time for the Timberland soccer team.

Pivac broke a scoreless tie against host Francis Howell North at the 25:52 mark of the second half of Tuesday's Class 3 sectional, and Timberland went on to win its first playoff soccer game in school history, 2-0.

"It felt like a dream," said Pivac, who recently returned to action after battling knee injuries. "I just got a touch on it, it went off the keeper, then I got it back and poked it in the side of the goal."

For a second straight game, Timberland struck first off a Brady Williams throw-in. Williams lofted the ball deep into the Howell North penalty box and Knights goalie Logan Ponche sprawled to make the initial save. But Pivac was there to gobble up his own rebound and finish.

"We've worked off Brady's throw-ins all year long," Timberland coach Tim Shearin said. "He throws it in for us from both sides of the field and plays every position except goalie. Midfielders like him are so important to our system."

It was a breakthrough moment for Timberland, which was the more aggressive team from start to finish. After Shearin gave his team an earful at halftime, the Wolves took their offensive play to another level.

"Sometimes you've just got to get in their face," Shearin said. "They play with such confidence that sometimes there's no urgency. Then in the second half they just dialed it up and went nuts."

Junior forward Jack West made it 2-0 with 17:50 left when he was tripped in the Howell North penalty box and awarded a penalty kick. Ponche dove to his right and got a hand on the ball, but the strong shot still found the back of the net. It was West's 10th goal of the season.

Ponche made several big saves in the second half to keep the score close, but Howell North could not muster a goal against keeper Adam Leonard and the Timberland defense, which posted its 16th shutout of the season.

"We had a good group of kids that played well the entire year but unfortunately they didn't play like themselves tonight," Howell North coach Larry Scheller said. "Credit Timberland for how they played. They finished some good opportunities and made us defend. We never got anything going on offense and we weren't dangerous at all today."

Timberland (20-6-1) will host Vianney (20-6-2) in Saturday's Class 3 quarterfinal round. The start time was unavailable as of Tuesday evening.

Howell North, which beat Timberland 2-0 on Sept. 14 en route to a perfect 6-0 record in the Gateway Athletic Conference South, ends its season 18-8-1.