Clipboard: Two former MCFC soccer standouts representing their countries in soccer

Dante Williams and Alejandro Cano, both products of the Monterey County Futbol Club as youths, will be on the pitch this coming weekend representing their countries in FIFA friendly matches against World Cup opponents.

Williams will be part of the Puerto Rican national team that will face Saudi Arabia on Friday in Austin, while Cano is representing El Salvador, which will face South Korea on Wednesday and Qatar on Saturday.

Natives of Monterey County, both played for the Monterey County Futbol Club at various levels, having attended George Marshall Elementary, International School of Monterey and Monterey High before moving to soccer academies.

Williams earned a scholarship to Oregon State, and is currently playing for Ponce FC in the Liga Puerto Rico League, where he is third in the league in goals with 15.

A defender, Cano attended the San Jose Earthquakes academy and is currently playing in the MLS NEXT Pro League for the San Jose Earthquakes II franchise.

Named Monterey High’s best underclassman in 2019 and selected to the US Youth Soccer National Championship Best Eleven, Cano has earned call-ups to the El Salvador Senior National Team and U20 team, having competed in Olympic qualifiers.

Marina’s Calhoun named coach at Mission Prep

Vernon Calhoun learned of the opening at Mission College Prep only because the football program is slated to face St. Francis of Watsonville this coming fall.

“It was through a text,” said Calhoun, St. Francis’ offensive coordinator. “I’m thinking they won’t have a coach or a system. I wasn’t thinking about being a head football coach again.”

Yet, when the position came with an administrative role, the 2004 Monterey High graduate and Seasde native began to rethink his position, filling out a resume 48 hours later.

“I interviewed last Friday,” Calhoun said. “I was hired on Tuesday. We have our first 7-on-7 when I get down there next Saturday. I will be crashing at a friend’s house.”

Calhoun, who spent five years as a head coach at Marina from 2012-2017, will put the headset back on after being named the new coach for the San Luis Obispo-based private school.

With the head coaching position, Calhoun will serve as an assistant athletic director and assist in the enrollment department for the school.

A former running back and linebacker at Monterey, Calhoun has spent the last eight years as an assistant at St. Francis, the last six years as the team’s offensive coordinator.

Before that, Calhoun took the reins of a Marina program that had never won a game in 11-man football, to its first-ever win in 2012, and its first winning season in his final year in 2017.

Mission College Prep, which reached the postseason last year despite a 3-7 record, is a high school with an enrollment of 260. It will host St. Francis on Aug.t 29.

Martorella looking to shake slump

Nathan Martorella has turned seven of his 14 hits this season into extra bases for the Miami Marlins Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville.

Activated early this month after spending a week on the Development List, Martorella has hit two homers and driven in 10 runs in 28 games for Jacksonville.

Listed as a first baseman, the 6-foot-1 Martorella has primarily been used as a designated hitter for Jacksonville, hitting just .156.

However, the Salinas High graduate is among the team leaders in walks with 13 and has scored 10 runs.

Martorella, who spent part of the spring with the Marlins parent club, was the Herald's Athlete of the Year in 2019, earning all-Pac 12 honors at Cal in 2022.

Originally drafted in the fifth round by the San Diego Padres in 2022, the left-handed swinging Martorella has hit 56 home runs and driven in 255 runs in 451 career minor league games.

Segura pitching in NCAA regionals

Eric Segura has put together another solid season on the mound for nationally-ranked Oregon State, which competed this weekend in the NCAA Eugene Regional.

The 6-foot-2, 214-pound Segura is 5-2 on the season with a 2.31 earned run average, having struck out 72 hitters in 66 innings.

A Soledad High graduate, Segura shares the team lead in starts with 14. The Beavers are 12-2 in those starts. Oregon State went into the regionals ranked No. 7 in the nation at 43-12.

In three seasons at Oregon State, the right-handed power pitcher is 19-5 with a 3.94 ERA, recording 222 strikeouts in 194 innings.

The Herald's Baseball Player of the Year as a junior in 2022, Segura earned CalHi All-State honors at Soledad as a pitcher, while hitting over .400.

Rey's collegiate career comes to a close

Victoria Rey closed a chapter in her softball career at Weber State, setting a career high for putouts in the outfield this past season with 94.

Over four seasons at Weber State, the 5-foot-4 Rey collected 269 putouts for a .974 fielding percentage.

At the plate, Rey finished with 21 hits in 39 games this past spring, scoring 18 runs, while driving in 11, finishing with a career high 105 at-bats.

In four years at Weber State, Rey finished with 73 hits, scored 46 runs, drove in 25 runs, and had 16 sacrifices, helping the team to the NCAA tournament in 2025.

Rey earned all-county honors at Notre Dame in Salinas, and was a part of the program’s last league title team in softball in 2022. Her sister Samantha, is an outfielder for Central Florida.

Turner closes college baseball chapter

Putting together arguably one of the strongest second halves of the college baseball season in the nation, Cy Turner's collegiate career came to a close at Wright State University.

The 6-foot-3 Pacific Grove High graduate hit 11 homers in his final 27 games for the program, leading the team with 12 on the season.

Wright hit .288 over 51 games for Wright State, leading the team in hit by pitches with 15, while finishing second in runs scored (49) and stolen bases (18-of-20).

The senior outfielder also drove in 38 runs, and walked 25 times, compiling a .420 on-base percentage.

Turner, who was not allowed to play baseball as a senior after the CCS ruled him ineligible for a move, spent two seasons at MPC, before earning a scholarship to Memphis.

Coaches wanted

Carmel is looking for a girls varsity basketball coach, a girls varsity soccer coach and a boys varsity tennis coach. Apply at www.carmelunified.org.

Seaside is looking for head and assistant coaches for girls and boys varsity and junior varsity basketball, a JV and varsity flag football coach, and a head varsity and JV softball coach. Go to EdJoin.com

Officials needed

Peninsula Sports Incorporate is looking for high school and middle school officials for all sports this season. Varsity officials are paid $100 a game.

There is an immediate need for officials in the fall for football, flag football, volleyball, boys and girls water polo and field hockey. Training is provided. Call Tom Emery at (831) 241-1101.

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 3:23 PM.