California Games : Chaisongkran as Good as Gold : He Scores Two Goals to Lead Nomads to 3-1 Victory

Only nine days ago, the La Jolla Nomads under-19 soccer club clinched the McGuire Cup, symbolic of the national championship. But in the world of youth soccer, victory can soon be forgotten.

The national champion Nomads already have disbanded, and on Sunday their replacements won the gold medal at the California State Games.

Eric Chaisongkran, 16, kicked in two first-half goals in the title game and Matt Baldwin added a third as the Nomads defeated San Diego Villa, 3-1.

Chaisongkran, the youngest Nomad, travels from Hemet to La Jolla--about an hour-and-a-half drive--several days a week for practice. He has been doing so since age 10.

“I do it because of Coach Derek Armstrong,” Chaisongkran said. “I feel he’s one of the best coaches in the U.S.”

Said Armstrong: “I think Eric’s just about to break out. He’s a smooth player, nicely balanced with good athletic skills and good control. What’s between his ears will be the determining factor. We don’t know about his bravery or how he’ll react under pressure.”

The Nomads under-16 team also defeated San Diego Villa in the gold-medal game, 7-0.

Two North County athletes led the way in multiple gold medals. Gymnast Ryan Barry of Vista collected seven golds, including one in floor exercise (where he scored a 9.0), pommel horse (9.5), rings (9.6), vault (9.5), parallel bars (9.4) and the high bar (9.2).

Barry was an all-around gold medalist with a score of 56.1.

Kelli Manion of Penasquitos took four golds during the four-day competition. Her first came in 16-and-under one-meter diving (325.25). She earned the other three in gymnastics.

Manion won golds in the beam (8.7) and vault (9.15), placed second in the floor exercise (9.0) and took third on the uneven bars (8.1). And she was the all-around winner in her age group.