Saint John’s wrestling hosts a pair of events this weekend in Sexton Arena, beginning with a 7 p.m. dual against Concordia-Moorhead on Saturday, Jan. 22. The annual North Country Open follows at 10 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 23.
SPECTATOR POLICY: Saint John’s University updated the spectator policy for its home wrestling events in Sexton Arena.
Watch Live (Saturday and Sunday)
North Country Open Brackets/Results on TrackWrestling.com (Sunday)
SATURDAY’S DUAL
- Masks are required at all times (this has been the policy all season long).
- Spectators must maintain 6 feet of social distancing (and 12 feet from student-athletes/coaches/staff).
- Capacity will be reduced to 70 percent. Seating will be staggered by section, every-other row, for social distancing.
- Fans/parents must sit within their family or friend group and should remain in their seats for the duration of the event (no moving seats, socializing, etc.).
- The concession stand will not be open.
SUNDAY’S TOURNAMENT
*No spectators will be allowed for Sunday’s North Country Open in Sexton Arena. The decision to not allow spectators is a result of the number of teams, competitors, coaches, and administrators that will be in attendance in the venue on Sunday.
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John’s competed at Elmhurst’s Al Hanke Invitational last Saturday (Jan. 15).
Sophomore Ben Gilbertson (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) led SJU with a 3-2 record and a sixth-place finish at 174 pounds. He started the tournament with an 18-3 technical fall but suffered a major-decision loss in the quarterfinal. Gilbertson bounced back with a pair of decision wins before a 5-1 defeat in the fifth-place bout. He is now 19-11 this season.
Sophomore Andrew Hamilton (Eagle River, Alaska) and freshman D.J. Myles (Dayton, Minn./Champlin Park) earned the Johnnies’ other wins with 2-2 records at 174 and 197 pounds, respectively.
A LOOK AT THE COBBERS: Concordia-Moorhead last competed Jan. 6 at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III National Duals in Louisville, Ky. The Cobbers went 1-2 with a win over Dubuque (Iowa) and losses to No. 3 Wabash (Ind.) and No. 10 Johnson & Wales (R.I.).
Freshman Ty Bisek went 3-0 on the day with a pin and two decisions at 133 pounds. He leads the team with a 15-3 record. Junior Kellen Shauer tallied a pair of decision wins at 149 pounds and is 9-7 on the year, while senior Kaden Spindler also recorded two victories at 174, including a 20-2 technical fall, to move his record to 10-8. Junior Ayden Friese joined in on the two-win party at 184 pounds and is now 10-9 this season on the year. The trio’s losses were to nationally ranked wrestlers.
LAST YEAR: SJU hosted Concordia for nine matches back on Feb. 6 in Sexton Arena. Team scores were not calculated.
Gilbertson bounced back from a loss by fall in his first match of the night to post a first-period pin in the nightcap. Sophomore Gabriel Ramirez (Immokalee, Fla.) suffered a close, three-point loss (6-3) to CC’s Cole Kubesh, who was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally at 125 pounds, and Jacob Scherber ’21 dropped a narrow 5-3 decision to Ayden Friese and 184 pounds. Tied at 2-2, Friese scored a takedown with one minute remaining and Scherber escaped but was called for stalling for the match’s final point.
WHO WILL BE HERE: In addition to the Johnnies, Sunday’s North Country Open is scheduled to include wrestlers from Augsburg, Division II Augustana (S.D.), NAIA Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), Itasca C.C., Division II Mary (N.D.), Minnesota West C.T.C., Division II MSU-Moorhead, Division I North Dakota State, Division II Northern State (S.D.), Northland C.T.C., Ridgewater, Rochester C.T.C., Division I South Dakota State, Division II St. Cloud State and Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Check out Johnnies Wrestling at gojohnnies.com.