UC IRVINE NOTEBOOK / JOHN WEYLER : Now Franzen Sees Forwards in a Different Light

Kim Franzen used to think forwards were a bunch of prima donnas. Soccer’s version of the designated hitter, they’re players who get the most glory with the least amount of effort, only breaking a sweat while celebrating goals.

But Franzen, who started 19 of 20 games last year as an outside defender, got a new job when Marine Cano became the women’s coach this year.

And now she is going to have to work on running in circles with her arms extended toward the heavens. All of sudden, Franzen is a forward. When she hit the back of the net in the Anteaters’ opener, Sept. 4 against Cal State Hayward, it was the first goal she had scored in three years, since she was a center midfielder at Palomar College in San Marcos.

“I thought, ‘My God, I scored,’ ” she said, smiling.

After five games, she’s tied with freshman Tracie Manz for the team scoring lead with three goals for six points. She scored the winning goal Saturday during the Anteaters’ 1-0 overtime victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills.

“I’m having the most fun I’ve had playing soccer in a while,” she said. “But it’s been a lot of work. The transition hasn’t been easy at all. I certainly never realized how much effort it takes to play forward.

“On defense, the challenge is right there in front of you, to keep people away from the goal. But being on the other end when you have to keep working to get open and trying to score, takes a lot of effort.”

There were no closed-door sessions with Cano before the season to discuss a position switch. In fact, Franzen didn’t know she was moving on up until the first day of practice.

“When I got here and started evaluating players, I was looking for skillful players with a touch of magic,” Cano said. “We didn’t have enough goal scorers--still don’t--and Kim Franzen was one of the players I identified has having the skill to play my style.”

Cano has four criteria when picking forwards to play in his aggressive, counter-attacking scheme: They have to be able to hold the ball; take on defenders with the ball; set up scores, and score.

“I was shocked,” Franzen said. “I just had no idea I would be playing forward. I guess it’s because I’ve got some speed and he wanted some speed up front. I just figured he thought it was best for the team and I would try my best.”

That’s all Cano is demanding.

“I don’t think Kim has been pushed like this before,” Cano said, “but I’m pushing her now. She’s a senior and she should be thinking about the All-Western region team. She certainly has the potential.”

Franzen also was a key player in former Coach Ray Smith’s game plan. The Anteaters were 12-8 last season, tying the school record for most victories in a season, and they were doing it with defense.

“I like this aggressive style a lot better because I’m more used to it,” she said. “I think we’re all working really hard this year to make it work. And, for me, well, it’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

*

Bringing home the bacon: Franzen raised pigs as a youngster growing up in Rancho Santa Fe. One, a stout fellow named B.B. that she had taught to sit, was named the 4-H Reserve Grand Champion at the Del Mar Fair.

“Pigs are cute,” she said, “and they’re really smart.”

Did B.B. win because of his intelligence?

“He was what the judges were looking for,” Franzen said. “He had a high meat content.”

Apparently. Franzen’s father bought the pig and well, the rest is breakfast history.

“He was delicious,” she said.

She shook her head.

“Boy, I’ve got some vegetarian teammates who are just going to love reading this.”

*

The cat’s P.J.: The men’s soccer team is off to a 4-1 start and forward P.J. Powolski is continuing his barrage on goalkeepers and his assault on the Irvine record book.

Powolski, a senior who played at Orange Coast College, scored three goals and had two assists last week. He has 14 points, ranking him third in the NCAA Far West region and No. 16 in the country.

“P.J. is our captain this year and he’s become even more of a team player,” Coach Derek Lawther said. “Now, he’s taking the ball deep more, setting things up and doing a lot of defensive work, where last year he spent a bit more time sniffing around the goal.

“He’s finding that sometimes when you aren’t always looking for it, things open up.”

Powolski, who has 17 goals in only five games into his second season at Irvine, is already No. 2 on the Anteaters’ all-time goals list. He’s fourth in all-time scoring with 40 points.

Anteater Notes

The women’s volleyball team was stuck overnight in Hawaii when their scheduled flight home Sunday night was canceled because of mechanical problems. But don’t make any jokes about having to spend another day in paradise. The University of Hawaii beat Irvine, 15-5, 15-6, 15-5, Friday night and, 15-7, 15-7, 15-13, Saturday night, dropping the Anteaters to 1-8 on the season. In the first match, the Rainbows had 21 total blocks; Irvine had two. Irvine has lost eight in a row . . . Sophomore goalkeeper Stephanie Boes, from Dana Hills High, had 12 saves in Saturday night’s victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills. It was her third shutout of the season. Boes’ 0.71 goals-against average is fourth-best in the NCAA Western region.