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Black Hills State lands Ripon Christian’s towering, pass-catching tandem
RC football signings
Griffin de Abreu, left, and Thys Van Der Hoek chat at Ripon Christian’s gym before a short ceremony honoring their commitment to the Black Hills State football team. - photo by JONAMAR JACINTO/The Bulletin

Griffin de Abreu and Thys Van Der Hoek shared a bittersweet end to their high school football careers the day after Thanksgiving.

They were there at St. Mary’s Sanguinetti Field for Ripon Christian’s historic 28-16 win over Woodland Christian in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII final on Nov. 25, but both went down with terrible leg injuries during the game.

Fast forward to Thursday, when the longtime friends were honored at lunchtime in the Ripon Christian gym. Although their final high school season did not end as they had hoped, they’ll get to restart together after signing with NCAA Division II Black Hills State out of Spearfish, S.D.

De Abreu, a 6-foot-5 receiver, made it official on the Feb. 1 National Signing Day. A three-sport standout, he is missing the basketball and volleyball seasons because of a torn ACL. Last year, he was named Most Outstanding Player in the Trans-Valley League, and in the spring the middle blocker played a key role in the boys volleyball team winning its first-ever Sac-Joaquin Section and California Interscholastic Federation Northern Regional championships.

“It’s been challenging, for sure,” de Abreu said. “The hardest part is over, though, so I’m just focusing on what I can do to get stronger. I’m very blessed to be able to play college football.”

He and Van Der Hoek were named to the Manteca Bulletin’s All-Area team in the fall. De Abreu was the area’s most productive wide out with 42 receptions, 737 yards and 15 touchdowns.

There was some interest from other schools, mostly from the NAIA, in de Abreu for both football and basketball, but Black Hills State always stood out to de Abreu. The Yellow Jackets still honored their offer to de Abreu despite the serious knee injury.

“God really did something for me in that way, and I think there is only good that can come out of that,” de Abreu said. “Ever since last year, the beginning of my junior season when they first reached out, they’ve been checking in and wishing me good luck,” de Abreu said. “They’ve been there for a while, and it’s the right school for me.”

De Abreu and Van Der Hoek visited Spearfish in January.

“It’s a college wrapped around the town of Spearfish, and they love their football players,” Van Der Hoek said. “The community is super supportive, and they show up to all their games. It’s going to be a thrill to be out on the field.”

The 6-8 tight end signed on Feb. 2. He caught 13 passes for 192 yards and five touchdowns, but Van Der Hoek was recruited as much for his blocking ability as his playmaking downfield. He has had to fill in at left tackle at Ripon Christian when injuries thinned out the team’s depth in trenches.

Like de Abreu, Van Der Hoek appreciated that Black Hills State coaches kept tabs on him for the last year-plus. His campus visit made the decision easier.

“They were probably the most persistent in keeping in touch with me, seeing how I’m doing and (asking) what’s the next move,” Van Der Hoek said. “As soon as I got there on my visit, I had no idea how great this place was. I never really thought it could have been for me, but I honestly think it’s going to be a great fit. I’m excited to get there in the fall.”

Black Hills State is led by third-year head coach Josh Breske and competes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Yellow Jackets went 5-4 in conference play and 7-4 overall this past fall. It was their first winning season since 2016.

Both de Abreu and Van Der Hoek are undecided on majors, but they can’t wait to take the next big step together. They’ve been classmates since kindergarten and teammates since their days on the Ripon Knights youth team.

“I’m super stoked to already have a friend there,” de Abreu said. “I’ll make more friends on the team and stuff, but it’s nice to have a guy I’m already comfortable with right off the bat.”