Saint John's freshman wrestler Jerod Novak (Aitkin, Minn.) won the 157-pound weight class with a 4-0 record, to improve to 16-11 on the season, at the annual North Country Open this past Sunday (Jan. 29) in Collegeville.
In addition to the Johnnies, the individual tournament featured wrestlers from Augsburg, Itasca C.C., Division I Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth (club), Division II MSU-Mankato, Division II MSU-Moorhead, Division I North Dakota State, Division II Southwest Minnesota State and Division II St. Cloud State.
Novak opened the day with a pair of major decisions, 14-3 and 10-2, before buckling down with a 3-2 victory over Adam Knutson of Division II Southwest Minnesota State in the semifinals. Novak won the title with a strong 7-3 win over Augsburg's Tanner Vassar.
The Johnnies return to dual competition with a 7 p.m. bout with Concordia-Moorhead on Wednesday, Feb. 1, in Sexton Arena.
