As he reflected on the incredible effort he made for the Vikings against the Detroit Lions, edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel had a bone to pick.

Though garnered praise from his teammates for his ability to make a tackle for a loss from on his back, Van Ginkel was not too happy with the sequence that resulted in him getting knocked down in the first place.

On the particular snap in question, Van Ginkel was lined up with his hand in the dirt, preparing to rush the passer. As soon as the ball was snapped, Van Ginkel got crushed by receiver Kalif Raymond, who motioned inside, then sprinted full speed ahead to make a block.

The hit immediately knocked Van Ginkel off his feet, and while he was left out of position, he quickly diagnosed what was happening around him and still managed to bring running back Jahmyr Gibbs down in the open field.

“I kind of thought it was a dirty play,” Van Ginkel said. “I’m just going to pass rush and all of a sudden I get whiplash because a guy blindsides me.”

Never mind that the block from Raymond technically wasn’t illegal. That didn’t change the way Van Ginkel felt about it.

“I think that it’s something that the league should look at” Van Ginkel said. “We can’t be doing that.”

Asked if he felt it was a cheap shot in real time or after watching the film, Van Ginkel said he knew right away, then he insinuated that he thinks that type of block should be taken out of the game.

“I had no clue he was there,” Van Ginkel said. “How are we supposed to protect ourselves in those cases?”

Related Articles

J.J. McCarthy’s alter ego and where it could take the Vikings

The Loop Fantasy Football Report Week 10: First half filled with underachievers

Did the Vikings make any moves ahead of the NFL trade deadline?

Mizutani: J.J. McCarthy is just scratching surface for Vikings

Takeaways from the Vikings’ 27-24 win over the Lions

A northwestern Minnesota woman has been convicted in the 2024 slaying of her missionary husband in the African country where they were living.

Jackie Shroyer, of Detroit Lakes, was convicted by an Angolan court of plotting to murder Beau Shroyer on Oct. 25, 2024, according to a Wednesday post written by Lead Pastor Troy Easton on the website of the Lakes Area Vineyard Church in Detroit Lakes.

“It saddens me deeply to share the following update regarding the legal proceedings involving Jackie Shroyer,” Easton wrote. “This morning, I was notified that Jackie was convicted by an Angolan court of involvement in the murder of her husband, Beau Shroyer.”

Jackie Shroyer is expected to serve her sentence in an Angolan detention facility, Easton added. He did not elaborate on the length of the sentence.

“Though this news is shocking and extremely difficult to comprehend, it’s important for you to know that this verdict follows a very thorough investigation and trial process that was monitored closely, conducted fairly, and carried out with integrity,” Easton said.

“While I am grateful for the clarity and closure this brings, I am also deeply grieved, knowing how much pain and confusion this news carries for so many, especially for Beau and Jackie’s children and family. The Shroyer children continue to be well cared for …,” Easton wrote.

Beau Shroyer was a longtime Detroit Lakes city police officer and member of the Lakes Area Vineyard Church before moving to Africa in 2021 with his wife and five children to do missionary work.

Several young Angolan men, all with criminal records of armed robbery and kidnapping, have also been accused in the case, according to the Angolan federal Criminal Investigation Service.

In a Nov. 7, 2024, report by the Angolan Press Agency, the Criminal Investigation Service alleged that Jackie Shroyer, then 44, was the “mastermind” behind the murder, which allegedly occurred after Beau Shroyer, also 44, was lured to a remote area by the suspects, who feigned engine failure, then fatally stabbed him while his wife was away from the scene.

The motive for the murder, according to the Angolan police agency, was “strong suspicions of a romantic relationship” with a security guard who has been charged, and “a presumed intention of the wife not wanting to leave Angola when her husband’s mission had ended.”

Fifth-seeded Cretin-Derham Hall battled through to beat fourth-seeded Sauk Rapids-Rice in four sets on Wednesday night at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, advancing to the Class 3A state volleyball semifinals.

The Raiders, a team on the climb, returned to the state tournament for the second consecutive season. After going over a decade without making it to St. Paul, the Raiders dominated their Class 3A quarterfinal against the Storm. Cretin-Derham Hall will clash with top-seeded Marshall at 9 a.m. Friday.

A sloppy Sauk Rapids-Rice first set allowed the Raiders to pull away late and claim Set 1 25-18, led offensively by four kills from senior outside hitter Taylor Williams. Raiders senior setter Caroline Banks orchestrated the offense early for Cretin-Derham Hall with a service ace and five assists in the first set.

Roaring out of the gates in Set 2, the Raiders mounted a commanding 10-2 lead, but the Storm went blow for blow with the Raiders and crawled back into the set.

A crucial 4-0 run kickstarted by a strong net presence from Sauk Rapids-Rice in the middle of second set cut Cretin-Derham Hall’s lead to 15-12 and forced head coach Erin Horn to call timeout.

Hitting errors plagued the Raiders in Set 2 and Sauk Rapids-Rice capitalized, earning multiple leads late. A big swing from Storm senior outside hitter Stella Lambaere gave them a 22-21 lead.

The Raiders overcame the Storm and rallied to take the second set 29-27 in a back-and-forth barrage. A set that featured carnage at the net fittingly ended with a vital block by Banks to seal the set.

A tight beginning to the third set saw numerous lead changes but it was the Storm, who established a 16-9 advantage midway through the set. Lambaere carved up the Raiders block to grab the 7-point edge.

The storm held firm down the stretch, withstanding two different 4-0 Raider runs to earn a Set 3 victory. A slicing swing by Storm senior outside Ruby Gustofson finished it, 25-18, and kept Sauk Rapids-Rice’s hopes of a state championship alive.

The Raiders led for the majority of Set 4, and a missile off the hand of Raiders junior middle blocker Leila Colvin swerved through the Storm’s block to send Cretin-Derham Hall through to the semifinals. A gritty fourth set tested the Raiders resolve but they answered the bell taking the final set 25-18.

Related Articles

State volleyball: Apple Valley upsets East Ridge in 4A quarters

State volleyball: Lakeville South begins 4A title defense with win over Sartell

State volleyball: Roseville rolls with quarterfinal sweep of Rogers

Girls state cross country: Wayzata’s Gullickson wins 3A title, Forest Lake’s VanAcker second

Class 2A cross country: Como Park sweeps individual, team boys titles

Apple Valley rolled into the postseason with the opposite of momentum.

The Eagles lost seven of their final 11 regular-season matches.

“That can definitely set some teams back,” said Apple Valley junior outside hitter Sophia Cowan, “but we know who we are.”

The Eagles still made the state tournament, despite their sputtering finish, and were seeded seventh heading into the Class 4A state tournament. No matter. Coaches agreed Seeds No. 2-7 can all beat one another in this year’s Class 4A tournament.

That came to fruition Wednesday, as the Eagles upset second-seeded East Ridge in a five-set quarterfinal thriller in St. Paul.

The Eagles (19-9) will next face third-seeded Prior Lake in the semis at 11 a.m. Thursday. Apple Valley was swept by Prior Lake on Oct. 9, part of that difficult season-closing stretch.

Apple Valley claimed the first set Wednesday to announce its presence. But East Ridge responded by winning the second set and then the third, with the latter coming in comeback fashion.

Apple Valley led the third set 23-21, but the Raptors closed strong to take it 27-25. At that point, East Ridge appeared to have seized control. That’s usually enough to stunt any upset bid.

But Apple Valley reached state a year prior. And coach Hannah Specktor preached consistency ahead of Wednesday’s match.

“When we’re a little bit more calm and steady, we’re controlled and make good decisions,” she said of her pregame message. “Just making sure everybody is taking a breath, calming down and staying the same way, mentality-wise, whether we’re up or down.”

And when they got down, they rallied back. The Eagles dominated the fourth set 25-10 and controlled the fifth from start to finish to complete the upset.

Cowan led the Eagles with a whopping 26 kills — including the match clincher — while Ginny Gores added 17 of her own. Apple Valley went to Cowan again and again throughout the match, and the star hitter never seemed to tire.

“You don’t really think about it. You don’t think about yourself and how you’re hurting,” Cowan said. “You’re focused on your team and what can I do for my team. … Just giving everything.”

Of course, preparation helps in those instances.

“She’s literally in the weight room 365 days a year,” Specktor said.

Apple Valley beat East Ridge 2-1 in the Eagle Invitational in mid-September. Players noted that added confidence ahead of Wednesday’s match. But it’s also simply a team that loves and believes in one another.

Gores said the Eagles were “never doubting ourselves.”

It was a classic duel between the two teams, one in which East Ridge simply found itself on the wrong side of. Lauren Bunge had 15 kills for the Raptors (22-8), while Peyton Dornfeld added 14.

East Ridge rallied from down two sets to one to edge Eagan in its section final to reach this point. The Raptors were on the other side of the coin Wednesday.

“I just felt that they executed better,” Raptors coach Steve Anderson said of Apple Valley. “They were the more confident team, the more aggressive team and we got rattled and couldn’t get out of it.”

Related Articles

State volleyball: Lakeville South begins 4A title defense with win over Sartell

State volleyball: Roseville rolls with quarterfinal sweep of Rogers

Girls state cross country: Wayzata’s Gullickson wins 3A title, Forest Lake’s VanAcker second

Class 2A cross country: Como Park sweeps individual, team boys titles

3A boys cross country: Minnetonka’s Fries sets new record