Soccer Playoffs Start This Week

The Woodbury girls are the No. 2 seed for their Section 4AA tournaments, and look the strongest of the local squads as they head into the soccer postseason.

The good news for the girls is that after going 13-3-0 during the regular season, they are the No. 2 seed for the Section 4AA tournament. The bad news for the Royals is that they're going to have to somehow get past unbeaten Mahtomedi (16-0-0) if they plan to reach the state tournament.

But the Royals have a little time before they have to worry about that, and two bridges to cross before they get there. First they host seventh-seeded Cretin-Derham Hall in first-round action at 7 p.m. Thursday.

In other quarterfinal action Thursday, third-seeded (13-3-0) hosts sixth-seeded Hill-Murray (11-4-1) at 5 p.m., fifth-seeded Stillwater (9-5-2) plays at fourth-seeded White Bear Lake (11-5-0) at 7 p.m.

The Woodbury girls had their way with Cretin-Derham Hall in two meetings this season, winning 4-0 at a tournament in Duluth on Aug. 26, and again by that same score in their conference matchup at Woodbury on Sept. 13.

East Ridge and Hill-Murray just faced each other Saturday at Hill-Murray, closing out the regular season with a 2-1 Raptors win.

In other first-round action Thursday, No. 4 East Ridge (8-7-1) hosts No. 5 Woodbury (7-8-1) at 7 p.m.

The Royals topped the Raptors 3-1 in regular season action Sept. 1, while Stillwater downed White Bear Lake 2-1 in their Suburban East Conference matchup last Thursday in Stillwater.

GIRLS BRACKET

First round (Tuesday, Oct. 11): Game 1—North at Tartan, 7 p.m. Quarterfinals (Thursday, Oct. 13): Game 2—Game 1 winner at Mahtomedi, 7 p.m.; Game 3—Stillwater at White Bear Lake, 7 p.m.; Game 4—Hill-Murray at East Ridge, 5 p.m.; Game 5—Cretin-Derham Hall at Woodbury, 7 p.m. Semifinals (Saturday, Oct. 15, at high seeds): Game 6—Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner; Game 7—Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner. Finals (Tuesday, Oct. 18): Semifinal winners.

BOYS BRACKET

First round (Tuesday, Oct. 11): Game 1—Tartan at Cretin-Derham Hall, 7 p.m. Quarterfinals (Thursday, Oct. 13): Game 2—Game 1 winner at North, 7 p.m.; Game 3—Woodbury at East Ridge, 7 p.m.; Game 4—Hill-Murray at St. Paul Central, 4 p.m.; Game 5—White Bear Lake at Stillwater, 7 p.m. Semifinals (Saturday, Oct. 15, at high seeds): Game 6—Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner; Game 7—Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner. Finals (Tuesday, Oct. 18): Semifinal winners.