BEST OFFENSE ISN'T SUNDBERG'S DEFENSE.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Daily News Staff Writer

Credit Nathan Martinez for noticing his Lancaster High soccer teammate Eric Sundberg didn't belong with him in the Eagles' back row.

Sundberg's value to Lancaster was not as a defender, though Eagles coach John Cox is willing to put his 6-foot-2 senior anywhere on the field if needed.

But the decision, at the request of Martinez, to shift Sundberg from his stopper position all the way up to a forward spot has helped the Eagles mold into Golden League championship material.

``I'm so glad I made that move. We're a better team now,'' said Cox, whose team took a 9-2-3 preseason record into Friday's Golden League opener against Palmdale.

Sundberg recorded 15 goals during Lancaster's nonleague schedule. That wasn't in Cox's plans. Sundberg was penciled in at stopper, a position that mainly consists of clearing the ball out of the defensive zone up to the midfielders.

But Martinez noticed Sundberg had gotten too attached to the ball.

``He tended to (move up the field with the ball),'' Martinez said. ``I told coach we needed someone who could stay back and help out on defense.

``(Sundberg's) been crying `I want to be a forward, I want to be a forward.' ''

Actually, Sundberg enjoys the physical aspects of defense, which he played regularly with the Eagles his junior season and spends extensive time in the back on his club team, the Palmdale Falcons.

``I've played a lot of sweeper and forward: the extremes,'' Sundberg said. ``I still play defense. I like to push the ball up. On my club team it's always been attack, attack, attack.''

In the Eagles' second game of the season against Desert, Sundberg got his chance to be a scorer, which he performed to perfection.

A hat trick later in a victory over the Scorpions, Cox knew he made the right choice.

``The next game he scored three goals and I was like `Oh my god,' '' said Cox, now convinced that Sundberg was more effective scoring goals then preventing them. ``I said `We've got to change something here.' It's like having a guy who plays the low block in basketball and he starts shooting 3-pointers with consistency. That's a sign that you should move him around to help the team.''

Sundberg added a second three-goal outburst to his resume and has stepped into the role of Lancaster's go-to shooter. Senior Billy Wright filled that niche a year ago, scoring a Golden League-best 21 goals.

Wright was a late arrival this season, however, while tending to personal business. He's on board now, providing Lancaster a formidable offense.

``It felt really good (moving to forward). Everything just starting clicking for us,'' Sundberg said. ``I've got all these great players behind me and the other starting forwards.''

If Sundberg's aggressive play has any negative ramifications, he sometimes finds himself moving too fast to keep up with.

He tends to inch a ball a little too much in front of him when attacking, giving up possession to an opposing defender more than Cox would prefer. It's a sacrifice the Eagles are willing to accept.

And with his soccer stock on an upswing, Sundberg, an All-Golden League first baseman who batted .400 for Lancaster's baseball team in 1998, may have to sacrifice one of the sports when he moves onto college.

``A lot of the schools I've talked to (Cal State Northridge has expressed the most interest) want me to commit to one sport,'' said Sundberg, whose 13-year-old brother Jonathan is a rising baseball and soccer standout who competed on Park View's Little League baseball all-star team a year ago.

``Before last year I was leaning toward baseball but since last summer I've been enjoying playing soccer.''

So have the Eagles, who boast 12 experienced seniors that learned a valuable lesson last year. A league title contender down the stretch, injuries and grade problems caused a tailspin - a four-game losing streak to end the season. Included was a first-round playoff exit.

``That was tough on us, having physical (league and playoff games) like that,'' Sundberg said. ``We learned a lot and that has helped us for this year.''

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PHOTO Senior Eric Sundbergscored 15 goals during the preseason for Golden League-favorite Lancaster, which opened league play Friday.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News