Nothing out of place now

Shaken up but not stirred. That's how Woodbury girls' soccer coaches have served their lineup this fall.

The Royals began their 2011 season by defeating fellow powerhouse Eden Prairie in the Great Northern Invitational title game in Duluth.

"Perfect start to a season," senior Madeline Trebesch said of the 2-1 come-from-behind overtime victory.

The victory kept Woodbury as high as No. 11 in the national ESPN Rise rankings. But the team still felt work needed to be done.

Most coaches would argue it's hard to tinker with a lineup that beat the defending state champion, but Woodbury co-head coaches Bill Ebertz and Pat Malicki have been acting like chemists all season, experimenting with yet another talented crop of Royals.

"We didn't want this game to be our defining point for the season," Ebertz said.

Forwards moved to midfield. Midfielders moved back to the defensive line. And back and forth and back again. Just this past week, the coaches finally settled on a consistent lineup.

Like tinkering with an old family recipe, mixing in young talent with a slew of college recruits. Trebesch and Madison Nelson have committed to Creighton. Lauren Nash is headed to Louisville while Rachael Van Keulen has committed to the Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

The results are a 10-3 record and Class 2A No. 6 ranking through Tuesday. With a historically good defense, the Royals have allowed an average of only 3.2 shots per game. In the team's two losses, to Edina and Eagan, opponents managed only three shots in each game.

Trebesch, a third-year varsity player, and sophomore Grace Rogers have solidified the center back position. Rogers started at midfield before finding a home in the Royals' back end.

"They have it locked down back there. They're always there to save the day," White said of the defensive core and goalkeeper Casey White.

At forward, Nelson has come up with some big-time goals, including a game-winner against conference and section rival Stillwater. She's tallied eight on the season, which has included stints at center midfielder, outside midfielder and forward.

A question now is whether Woodbury's roster is set to advance in arguably the state's toughest section, including White Bear Lake, Mahtomedi, East Ridge, Hill-Murray and Stillwater.