Carmel High grad JT Byrne (Cal) and Palma grad Noah Pulealii (UCLA) are among the local players participating in bowl games this season. (courtesy photo)
Six former county football players will play in bowl games this month to get you interested in the college football season.
They include Carmel graduate JT Byrne, whose Bears will participate in the Independence Bowl on Saturday against Texas Tech in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Byrne, who has played in two previous bowl games while at Oregon State, has been used all season as a tight end at Cal.
Teammate and former Salinas receiver Nyziah Hunter is a redshirt freshman this year for Cal, who will likely suit up for the bowl game.
When UCLA faces Boise State in the Los Angeles Bowl on Saturday, former Palma player Noah Bolelli will be part of the Bruins’ special teams units.
The redshirt sophomore, 300-pounder is a backup tackle for UCLA, which beat USC this fall to clinch a bowl berth.
Abraham Montano and Josiah Freeman will both be in uniform Saturday for Fresno State, when it faces New Mexico State in the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque.
Freeman, a former Soledad High and Hartnell College receiver, has been a valuable asset when the Bulldogs go into their spread, ranking second on the team in average yards per catch. Montano, who prepared at Alisal, will serve as a reserve player this fall.
Additionally, former Santa Cruz High safety Caleb Womack is part of San Jose State’s secondary when it faces Coastal Carolina on Dec. 23 in the Hawaii Bowl.
Mercurio kicks in postseason
Matt Mercurio’s collegiate football career was extended with Villanova in the Division I Football Championship Playoffs.
The Palma prodigy converted all six extra points in the Wildcats’ win over Youngstown State, earning a quarterfinal meeting with South Dakota State.
After transferring to Villanova for his master’s degree after playing at San Jose State, Mercurio has converted 8 of 11 field goals this year and 53 of 54 extra points.
His 77 points this season leads the Wildcats in scoring, giving him 142 points in 23 games since his arrival.
The 6-foot-2 former San Jose State standout still holds a share of the NCAA record for making four field goals in a single quarter in 2020.
Mercurio was named to the Lou Groza watch list in 2020, and became the fifth San Jose State player not to miss an extra point in 2020, kicking a 49-yard field goal.
An all-league footballer at Palma, Mercurio became a regular during his first season with the Chieftains.
Monterey Bay FC signs a defender and a midfielder
Continuing their trend of strengthening their defence, Monterey Bay FC has signed former San Diego Pro League defender Carlos Guzman to a two-year contract. A day later, he added 18-year-old midfielder Xavi Gnaulatti
Having played professionally in Mexico since he was 17, 29-year-old Guzman spent his first season in the United Soccer League last year with San Diego.
Guzman started 14 of the 15 matches he played last season, recording 52 clearances, 51 duels and 20 interceptions. He played the full 120 minutes in the playoff game in San Diego — his final game as a franchise.
Before arriving in the USL, Guzman spent 12 seasons in Mexico, playing for Liga MX, a top-tier team in Mexico.
The 5-foot-10 Guzman adds depth to a defense that recently re-signed Maury Donner, who was the union’s iron man last year, playing every minute of every game.
The only goal Guzman scored last year was the winner, and ironically, that goal was against Monterey Bay.
After spending last season with the now-defunct San Diego Loyal, Gnaulati made his USL debut last July. He scored the first two goals of his Champions League career in three minutes on September 20 at Cardinale Stadium against Al-Ittihad.
“I talked to Landon (Donovan) about Xavi initially, and he gave me a good report on him,” Monterey Bay athletic director and head coach Frank Yallop said. “We really like his ability. He’s excited to be here and ready to start a new chapter in his career.
After playing for the San Diego Academy team in 2021 as a 16-year-old, Gnaulati made his professional debut in 2022 in the US Open Luffy Cup, before returning for good last season.
Johnston is chasing a milestone at CSUMB
Through seven games this winter, sophomore Charles Johnston is averaging a double-double for the CSU Monterey Bay basketball team.
The 6-foot-11 post nearly doubles his numbers from last season for the Otters, where he averaged 13.3 points and 10.7 rebounds a night, including a school-record single-game 21 rebounds earlier this season.
No player in CSUMB history has achieved a double-double over the course of a season — or through the first seven games of the year in Division II.
The Australian, who leads the Otters (3-4) in rebounds, is third in scoring behind Jaylen Nelson and Jaden Tengan. Johnston also leads the team in blocks.
Driscoll begins his senior season
Having started four of the first five games this season, senior guard Luke Driscoll is averaging 9.6 points per game for the Baldwin Wallace University basketball team.
The 5-foot-11 sharpshooter, who came off the bench his first three seasons, ranks third on the team in minutes per game at 32.8.
Driscoll is second on the team in assists with 2.6 and third in rebounds with 6.2 — all collegiate career highs for the former Basketball Herald Player of the Year.
After seeing his scoring numbers increase in each of his first three seasons with the Yellowjackets, Driscoll is nearly doubling his scoring average from last year.
Driscoll averaged 25 points per game as a senior at Stevenson in 2020, with 74 assists and 78 steals, and scored 34 points on two occasions.
Trainers needed
Soledad is looking for a head softball coach. Go to aztecathletics@soledad.k12.ca.us.
Monterey is looking for soccer coaches at the varsity, junior varsity, and freshman levels. Go to abesaw@mpusd.net
Carmel is looking for a boys lacrosse coach. Go to www.carmelunifield.org
Get ready to cheer on our local squad as they hit the lanes this month in college football. The Monterey Herald is proud to report that the team will be showcasing their skills and determination in the upcoming bowling events. With their talent and dedication, our local athletes are sure to make an impact in the collegiate bowling world. So grab your gear and head to the lanes to show your support for our hometown team.