College Update: Verso’s sensational summer comes to close

The following are updates on area athletes at the collegiate level.

Mark Verso (St. Francis High, 2013) FC Golden State Force: A phenomenal summer that included a sensational scoring run came to a close for Verso on Friday.

Verso’s Force was defeated, 1-0, by the Calgary Foothills FC in the United States Premier Development League Western Conference semifinals.

Verso finished the season with 13 goals and an assist through 10 games. The loss to Calgary also halted Verso’s outstanding six-match scoring streak. In that span, which included a goal in a 3-2 win over the San Diego Zest to open the playoffs, Verso scored 12 goals.

Verso won an NCAA Division I championship with Stanford this past season, along with his since-graduated brother Eric. Stanford will kick off its season Aug. 13 at home against Sacramento State.

Kayla Mills (Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, 2013) USC soccer: Already having been lauded as one of the top 10 defenders in NCAA Division I soccer by TopDrawerSoccer.com, Mills has been placed in elite company once again as the reigning All-American was named on Monday to the watch list for the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy Award.

Akin to football’s Heisman Trophy, the MAC Hermann Trophy is bestowed annually to the most outstanding male and female players. Winners will be announced on Jan. 6, 2017.

Mills was one of 36 players named to the watch list. She was joined by fellow USC senior Morgan Andrews.

Mills and USC open up the 2016 season on Aug. 19 at Santa Clara.

Mills is also currently a member of the United States Under-23 National Team.

Brian Gadsby (Crescenta Valley High, 2015) Mankato MoonDogs pitcher: Spending his summer in Minnesota for the Northwoods League squad, the lanky right-hander is finding success in the bullpen.

He owns a 3-0 record with three saves across 15 appearances and 24 2/3 innings. His earned-run average stands at 2.91 and has 19 strikeouts to 12 walks.

Gadsby, who was a reliever at UCLA during his freshman season, recorded a save on Friday in a 3-2 win against Waterloo. He threw 1 1/3 innings of scoreless ball, but did battle through two walks. Gadsby’s last appearance was Tuesday against St. Cloud in a 9-6 loss. Gadsby threw just 1/3 of an inning, allowing a hit, a walk, tallying a strikeout and giving up an unearned run.

Heading into Wednesday action against St. Cloud, the MoonDogs were 32-20.