This is Coach Tony Silengo’s first year as head coach at Falcon High. For the previous 14 years, he coached at Hill Top Baptist High School, where he coached eight individual state champions. I asked Silengo what precipitated his move to Falcon, and he told me Hill Top cut out their wrestling program. He also told me that he felt fortunate to have taken over a program like the one at Falcon. He said the previous coach had excellent coaching skills and the athletes were dedicated and willing to buy into the program. That doesn’t happen in all programs.Coach Silengo grew up in Canon City and is married with three grown children. His daughter lives in Nashville, Tenn., where she moved to pursue a singing career; a son, who attended the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, teaches math in Ellicott; the other son attended the University of Pennsylvania on an athletic scholarship. Silengo said the latter son traveled the world as a wrestler and participated in two world championships. Coach’s wife Becky, also a native of Colorado – Fowler, is a huge wrestling fan. The NFH wishes Coach Silengo continued success with his program at Falcon High.I attended the Southern Colorado Classic at Cheyenne Mountain High School Dec. 20 and watched some of the Falcon wrestlers in action. Fourteen high schools participated and put on quite a show. With four mats, there was plenty of action. Coach Silengo said that in the metro league, Widefield is probably the competition to look out for during this season, while Pueblo West is the team to watch in the Falcon’s regional competition. He said that Falcon could very well be in the mix at the end.It is not possible at this time to give a run down on all the wrestlers, but the coach dropped the names of junior Rich Bailey (135 pounds) and senior Jon McArthur (125 pounds). Bailey was a two-time state qualifier his first two years at Hill Top Baptist. When Hill Top discontinued their wrestling program this year, he followed Coach Silengo to Falcon. The coach expects that Bailey will again be a state qualifier. He was third at the Cheyenne Mountain Classic Dec. 20. McArthur is perhaps Falcon’s best wrestler. He has wrestling savvy and smarts and could well be a state qualifier. At the start of the Cheyenne Mountain Classic, McArthur had only one loss.As a team this year, the Falcons have won the Panther Invite, the Colorado Springs Christian School Invite and came in fourth at the Cheyenne Mountain Classic. To do this well early in the season makes me think there are good times ahead for the Falcon wrestling program. The next meet will be the Castle View Dual Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. in Castle Rock. Plan on attending this away event.Make plans now to attend one, two or all three days of the Colorado High School wrestling tournament at the Pepsi Center in Denver the weekend of Feb. 19, 20 and 21. This is the single largest high school athletic event in Colorado. It should be a burner. The Falcons could be well represented if everything goes well the rest of the season.I hope you all had a nice holiday season. Have you had enough of all the football bowl games for awhile? If so, make a change and come watch some exciting Falcon wrestling. You will not be disappointed.See you at the next Vinnie Mac Sports Corner.This column does not necessarily represent the views of The New Falcon Herald.
