Whiz Kid: Gino Cresta

Athletes at Swampscott High School have come to know that if Gino Cresta’s on the team, there’s a solid chance you’re heading to the MIAA playoffs.

Cresta manned second base for coach T. J. Baril’s Big Blue baseball team last spring, and the team put together a good season with several big wins over Bishop Fenwick and Marblehead. The team qualified for the state tournament, but the club fell flat and lost to Austin Prep. The Cougars whipped the Blue, 9-3 ending their season in round one.

“It was incredibly disappointing to lose in the opening round last year,” Cresta said from his family’s home on Windsor Avenue. “We had a strong team, good pitching and good hitting, we just never got it going in that playoff game.”

The 18 year-old Cresta will be back at second base this spring, a returning starter with a quick bat on a Swampscott team that has its entire infield intact for 2012, and Trevor Massey, Nick Mennino and Sean O’Brien to lead the pitching staff.

Swampscott lost three seniors from last year’s club, and is loaded with talent with Matt Videtta behind the plate, Mike Walsh at third, with A. J. Baker, Robert Serino and NEC All-Star Frank Legere patrolling the outfield.

Cresta captained the golf team that made the playoffs last fall, with an 8-2 record, his best round in 2011 came in Winthrop, but Tedesco is his favorite course in the area.

“You can’t get much nicer than Tedesco,” Cresta said.

Cresta is also one of coach Gino Faia’s hockey captains on a Blue Ice Crew that made it back into the playoffs this year after a rough 2010-2011, banging out a comeback 2-2 tie to end the regular season last week against the defending state hockey champs from the next town over.

“I got a lot of points last year, as a junior, but the team didn’t succeed, and that bothered me, we were determined to get back to the playoffs this year and we did, it was great,” Cresta said.

The Big Blue boys all dyed their hair blonde for good luck, one of those playoff traditions like the Matignon Mohawk haircuts and playoff beards in the pros.

“Playoff beards would be nice, but some of the guys don’t even shave, so we dyed our hair,” Cresta said. “I held out a little while but I got it done and it’s pretty cool.”

Cresta scored his 100th point this hockey season, against the Peabody Tanners.

“It was great, my friends all came to the game and cheered for me and the team, it was great to get the 100th (on a goal), but we lost, so it stung a little bit,” Cresta said. “We haven’t beaten Peabody in so long, it would have been nice to win that game.”

“I’m hoping to go to prep school and play hockey, I’m looking at some colleges, but first I think I need a year of prep school,” Cresta said.

Gino’s dad and his aunt both work for the Town of Swampscott, and he has nothing but good things to say about growing up here.

“Swampscott’s a wonderful place, just a nice small town, where everybody knows everybody and it’s really a great community, athletics are great, which I obviously am passionate about, and the schools have been great too,” Cresta said.

Swampscott has given a lot to Cresta, and he’s tried to give a lot of himself back to the community.  He’s a member of St. John’s Church with his family and a member of the Blue Crew, that helps kids get active and stay active, and he’s also involved with Toys for Local Children, that gets and gift wraps presents for local kids in need.

“A couple of days before the holidays, before we go on vacation, we wrap toys and deliver them to kids less fortunate than us, it’s been a great pleasure to help needy kids in the area,” Cresta said.

Gino’s favorite classes at SHS are the sciences, "Anatomy, Physics, Forensics, those type of classes,” Cresta said. “English isn’t my favorite subject, but I try to do my best.”

“I will certainly miss my family when I go to school next year, I’ll miss my friends too, Swampscott’s a good place to grow up and be a kid, I have so many memories from here that I’ll never forget,” Gino said.

“I absolutely want to play hockey in college, that’s my goal, it’s going to take a lot of work, but I’m ready,” Gino said.

“It’s really an honor to be near the top of the (Swampscott High) scoring list with great hockey players like Nick Fagone, Danny Santanello and Colin Kelly,” Gino said, “Really great players, Alex Stone and Keith Morgan are on their too.”

Cresta is in fourth place, all time, heading into the state tournament.

“We have to win the battles on the ice to be successful, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, but there’s more to do before I leave Swampscott High.”

“It’s great to be from Swampscott, I’ll miss my family and my friends when I go away to school, I’ll miss the water too,” Cresta said. “I really love the ocean.”