BHS Wrestling: Silva ready for the second trip to Fargo

BARSTOW — Sam Barnhart remembers Sean Silva as the little, tough wrestler he used to coach in middle school.

Barnhart, now a wrestler at Cal State Bakersfield, was then a senior in 2006 at Barstow High School helping to the youth wrestlers on their way up to the high school level. Silva was an eighth grader still learning the sport.

Since then he’s traveled around the country, performed well at the national level, taking sixth place for an All-American spot at NHSCA High School Sophomore Nationals Wrestling Championship in March, and is preparing for his second consecutive trip to the SICS/Vaughan Junior and Accelerade Cadet Nationals at the FargoDome in Fargo, N.D., to compete in Greco Roman and freestyle. All before he even starts his junior year at Barstow High School.

“He’s developed pretty well,” Barnhart said. “Physically, he’s pretty dominate at 12s and 19s. Mentally he’s made some strides in the last year.”
Despite wrestling at 112 and 119 pounds previously, Silva will compete in both freestyle and Greco Roman at 125 pounds and is currently in San Jose preparing for the tournament with Team California. Nationals in Fargo begins on July 21.

With a year of national wrestling experience, Silva and Barstow wrestling coach Adam Hopkins want to do more than just show up the tournament. The goal is to medal in both styles. The top eight placers medal.

“Last year I came pretty close to placing,” Silva said. “It was just an experience. Now, I’m hopefully going to take it. Take the tournament, take it to the finals or just become a double All-American in Greco and Freestyle. Those are my goals.”

Silva went 1-2 in Greco roman matches and 3-2 in freestyle matches at Fargo last year. He was a last minute addition into the Greco Roman tournament last year.

After a disappointing finish at this year’s CIF Finals in March, where he was bounced from the tournament on the first day, Silva has rebounded throughout the spring and summer. After his All-American performance at sophomore nationals in Virginia Beach in March, he continued to perform well at several tournaments around California. Silva was the runner up at the at the Freestyle State Championships in June. Even in his rare losses, Silva is getting closer and closer to beating the elite competition.

“He’s realizing that every match is one point, two points,” Hopkins said. “One mistake is the difference between being an All-American, being a champion and a finalist.”

Silva’s explosive style makes him more of a favorite in the Greco-Roman tournament, however Hopkins said he shouldn’t be counted out for either style.

“He’s given some guys some runs for their money that are nationally respected this spring,” Hopkins said. “I think he’s going out there to ... I wouldn’t say take away from anybody what they deserve, but I think he’s going to earn his own respects nationally.”

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