BROCKPORT — Most people could not deal with being in a hot place that is drenched with the smell of sweat.

For Mike Cubillos and Roger Sawyer, it’s the place they call home.

Cubillos and Sawyer were competing in the sport they love — wrestling — at the State University of New York College at Brockport in the 29th Annual Empire State Games.

The 2005 Guilderland High School graduates have completed their first season as college wrestlers — Cubillos at Boston University and Sawyer at Brockport — and are always looking for more matches.
"I just finished up a wrestling camp," Cubillos said after his first match of the Greco-Roman tournament on Friday. "I just got back from that on Wednesday and I came out here for today. It would have been a tight squeeze to get back for the freestyle on Thursday morning."
Missing the freestyle tournament bothered Cubillos a little bit. It meant less time on the mat but, he said, "I like Greco better."
"You get to clinch and throw people more," Cubillos said, comparing the two forms of the sport. "It’s easier to lift off the mat. You can’t lift legs."

Sawyer prefers another style, folkstyle, but said he likes Greco-Roman better than freestyle.
"You can lift people but you can’t lift legs to slam them," he said, echoing his former teammate.

Impressive results

Both had impressive tournaments. Cubillos won the bronze medal and Sawyer lost in the final of his weight class to bring home the silver in both Greco-Roman and freestyle.

Cubillos beat Reece Mariacher of Western by a 4-0, 4-0 score in the opening match of the 152-pound weight class. Cubillos then beat John Perez of Long Island, 4-2, 8-2, in the second round.

Cubillos won his third match, besting Phil Szumlaski of Hudson Valley, 5-0, 7-0. He lost his fourth match, which dropped him to the bronze-medal match instead of grappling for gold or silver. Jayson Smith of Central beat Cubillos, 4-1, 3-0.

Cubillos pinned down the bronze medal by pinning Lucas Mariacher of Western in 1:26.

Sawyer won his first three matches of the 167-pound weight class.

He beat Omi Ortiz, a teammate from Brockport, by a 4-2, 3-0 decision. He then defeated Cory Sands of New York City, 7-0, 6-2 and Michael Josephson of Hudson Valley, 6-0, 8-6, in his next two matches to advance to the gold-medal match.

But Brian Pickering of Central defeated Sawyer in the championship bout, 2-2, 7-1, to leave Sawyer the silver.

In the freestyle tournament on Thursday, Sawyer beat Dustin Greer of Hudson Valley, 7-0, 6-0, in the first round. He then beat Matt Palermo of Western in the second round, 6-0, 7-0. Then he beat Chris Adams of Central, 8-2, 6-0, to earn a spot in the gold-medal match.

Battling roommates

Sawyer ran into a teammate Brockport, Shaheim Bradshaw, of Long Island, and lost 7-5, 3-0.
"It was a battle," Sawyer said of the match. "I got him in the eye and I was bleeding from the lip. But we got up and hugged each other after the match. Out there, each of us wanted to win. He’s my roommate next year."

Bradshaw and Sawyer practice with each other during the season and battle all the time.

They have also made a pact that they will both be in the line-up next season at either 157 or 163 pounds depending who is closer to the higher weight at the beginning of the season.

Sawyer’s decision to wrestle in college shows the talent and determination he has.

In his last tournament as a high-school wrestler, the state tournament, Sawyer dislocated his jaw in the first match of the tournament. He went to the hospital — the tournament was held in Albany — and had the jaw put back in its socket. Sawyer returned to wrestle in the consolation bracket and lost a close match.
"I wanted to quit wrestling," Sawyer said, recalling the state tournament. "I was disappointed that I didn’t win a state title. But then my coach [Regan Johnson] said I should go DIII and try it. He said I could be an All-American and win a national championship."

And Brockport, as Johnson knows because he’s an alum, is a small-school wrestling powerhouse and has several national titles to its credit under the guidance of Head Coach Don Murray.

Three weeks after the state tournament, Sawyer wrestled in a Greco-Roman and freestyle tournament.

"All about wrestling"

Cubillos also didn’t win a state title as a senior. He didn’t qualify for the state meet after losing in the qualifier meet. He did win a Class A title at sectionals that year.

He decided to give Division I wrestling a shot, and headed for Boston University.
"Boston is a great city," he said. "I just wish I’d done better wrestling-wise. I’m looking forward to seeing how this year pans out.
"It’s definitely a big jump from high school," Cubillos added. "Day in and day out, it’s all about wrestling. It takes a lot of focus and discipline. I’ve got to do some catching up, but I’m looking forward to it."

Sawyer also said that wrestling takes up a lot of time.
"Wrestling is 24/7," he said. "You’re either losing weight, at practices or tournaments, and then you have to study for classes."

Sawyer went from 186 pounds to 167 pounds to get ready for this tournament.

But both wrestlers wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.
"I love it," Sawyer said. "The one-on-one competition is great. There is no one else to rely on. You have to be better and stay on your game."
"It’s kind of like fighting," Cubillos said. "That’s kind of what it is with no punches. I like the individuality and all that stuff."