After a few seconds of thought, he knew the answer was no. Greg Testa has never played on a losing team. Not in soccer, basketball or baseball. Not in middle school, rec leagues or high school. Never.

Anyone who followed his career at Lancaster Catholic is probably not surprised.

"He's one of the fiercest competitors I've ever seen,'' Catholic basketball coach Bill Southward said. "You don't know what's going on inside him. He just doesn't want to lose.''

Testa is the New Era Athlete of the Year. He was the leading scorer for the Catholic basketball team that went 35-0 and won its first state championship. He led the boys' soccer team in goals as it earned its first section title. He was the captain and most valuable player on the baseball team that advanced to Districts for the second time in 30 years.

One word sneaks into every conversation about Testa. Whether it's his dad, Al, or any of his coaches, they say the same thing. They say it with conviction.

"The kid is a born winner,'' soccer coach Gary Ross said.

Is there any compliment an athlete would rather have attached to his name?

As Testa sat in the coach's lounge at Catholic High Wednesday, he thought back on a senior year filled with memories..

Whether it was basketball, soccer or baseball, Testa had the Midas touch.

On the basketball court, he made it look so easy, so effortless. That behind-the-back move where he cuts to the foul line and hits a jumper. That bounce pass through traffic to an open teammate.

What we see now is the finished product. What we never saw were the countless hours that went into polishing those skills.

It wasn't easy for Testa. When he arrived at Catholic, his jumper was a knuckleball. It had no rotation. Sure, he could hit several in a row because he shot that way his whole life, but he also shot airballs. The consistency wasn't there. He wasn't ready for the next level.

Testa started over. He tried a completely different approach. At times he would struggle to get the ball to reach the basket from beyond the foul line because he wasn't very strong. He kept shooting, kept working. By the time he was a senior, he owned the most feared jumper in the Lancaster-Lebanon League.

He made the varsity in his sophomore year, scoring nine points a game as a point guard whose primary job was to run the offense. By his junior year, his scoring doubled. As a senior, he was ready to take off.

This winter started with high expectations. Catholic basketball was going to be good, perhaps historically good. Testa knew it, but he refused to talk about the potential of the team. His attention never focused beyond the present.

The Crusaders went through the regular season undefeated, easily winning Section 3. They entered the playoffs with question marks. Some wondered if they were a great team or the product of a weak schedule. Testa averaged 18 points again, but his season went largely unnoticed because Catholic rarely played a close game. No one knew how good he really was.

Not until the playoffs. He averaged 24 points a game as Catholic won the L-L League title, including an upset over McCaskey in the final. He averaged 20 a game in Districts and States as the Crusaders became the first Lancaster County team to advance through a regular season and postseason unbeaten.

In five of its 11 playoff games, Catholic trailed in the fourth quarter. Testa never allowed the Crusaders to lose. He staked his claim as perhaps the best guard in Catholic basketball history.

"Greg is a worker and a really smart player,'' Southward said. "That's what makes him go, along with God-given talent. He took all of it and made it into the total package.''

Testa started all but one varsity game in his final three seasons. His teams went 38-5 in league play and won three section titles. They never spent a day out of first place.

When Testa was a sophomore, basketball was his only sport. He had given up soccer in the fifth grade and decided to skip baseball because he was physically drained after a long winter.

That's when Al Testa offered his son some advice.

"He told me I was letting my athletic ability go to waste,'' Testa recalled.

Testa decided to play soccer as a junior after a six-year layoff. He introduced himself to Ross, who had never heard of Testa before.

"My expectations for him were zilch,'' Ross said. "I thought he would make the JV team.''

In his first game, a scrimmage, Testa scored a hat trick. He dedicated so little time to soccer that his skills weren't refined. But he had a knack for getting the ball and always found a way to beat the keeper.

Soon he became the focus of the offense. Ross knew if he could get the ball to Testa on long passes, good things would happen..

"I see a lot of soccer, and this kid is not a phenomenal soccer player,'' Ross said. "But he would give it everything he's got. He would pressure you until you make mistakes and would punish you for those mistakes with a goal.''

Testa scored 16 goals in his first soccer season and was named All-League. He added 21 goals and seven assists as a senior as Catholic won the section. The Crusaders advanced to Districts in both seasons Testa played.

Gradually, this player Ross never saw coming emerged as one of Catholic's indispensable parts. Testa proved experience mattered less than athleticism and hustle.

"If we were down 1-0, he didn't just score one to equalize it,'' Ross said. "He scored two to win the thing.''

After basketball season lasted deep into March this year, Testa was a late arrival to the baseball team. He missed the first few practices and scrimmages.

In the regular-season opener against McCaskey, Testa was on the bench. Coach Mike Hoffman asked Testa if he would like to get one at-bat. The coach didn't want his captain to embarrass himself. Naturally, Testa wanted to play.

On his first swing of the spring, he ripped a line-drive single to center.

"I just shook my head,'' Hoffman said. "I thought, "Boy this is going to be a fun year.'''

After Testa acclimated himself to his third sport in eight months, he led Catholic to a strong finish. The Crusaders advanced to the L-L League semifinals and made a rare District 3 tournament appearance.

Hoffman, a first-year coach, was immediately impressed with Testa's dedication. If a coach was hitting fly balls to the outfielders, Testa would dive and try to catch every one. He led and his teammates followed.

It didn't take long for Hoffman to realize he was coaching a unique player.

"Greg is always prepared,'' Hoffman said. "This senior year of his has been incredible. He expects the unexpected, and when it happens he's ready for it. You can't find that in too many athletes.''

Testa hit .333 with a .485 on-base percentage, best on the team. He didn't commit an error playing shortstop and centerfield. He struck out once.

The pivotal moment of Testa's banner year came on Valentine's Day, when Catholic took on McCaskey in basketball. This was the night the Crusaders cemented their place as legitimate state championship contenders.

When he was walking out of school that day, Testa was greeted by a surprise in the parking lot. Pat Bunger, one of the diehard Crusader Crazies, was selling T-shirts out of the back of his Volvo.

The shirts read: In Testa We Trust.

Testa saw a lot of people were buying them. He suddenly felt nervous. All he could think about was how he needed to play well that night.

But what if he didn't? What if Catholic lost?

"I don't think we would have seen those shirts again,'' Testa said with a smile.

The shirts became part of the scenery of the postseason. There were always a few sprinkled among the crowd.

The slogan was appropriate for Testa, who never disappointed his teammates or fans.

Testa is headed to Millersville, where he will play basketball. His high school career flew by in an instant. He leaves as the second-leading scorer in Catholic hoops history. He leaves as a winner.

What does that word mean to him?

"A winner is a person who always hustles and never gives up when things are bad,'' he said. "He finds a way to win somehow.''

All three of his coaches raved about his work ethic. All three said their teams reached new heights because Testa was part of them.

"This is a kid who works hard, is a good athlete and is a good student,'' Southward said. "What more do you want?"

Nothing.

Testa did it all.


blog comments powered by Disqus