LAKE COUNTY — Upper Lake High School’s Bradley Sneathen and Middletown High School’s Luke Hoogendoorn have been named the recipients of $1,000 scholarships from the Lake-Mendocino branch of the Northern California Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
The Northern California Chapter awards 24 scholarships each year of $1,000 to the recipient’s college of choice. The Northern California Chapter has awarded $935,000 in scholarships to Northern California scholar-athletes since 1960.
Only seniors are eligible. Candidates in each branch, including the Lake-Mendocino branch, are judged on three criteria — grade point average (40 percent), football ability (40 percent) and leadership and citizenship at both school and in their community (20 percent).
A panel of judges, including teachers, administrators and media, determine the winners after reviewing applications submitted by their respective schools in two categories — backs and linemen.
Sneathen, a 6-foot-1, 260-pound fullback and middle linebacker for the North Central League II-champion Upper Lake Cougars in 2021, was honored in the lineman category while Hoogendoorn, a 5-10, 150-pound quarterback for the Mustangs, was honored in the back category.
Sneathen
Named the most valuable player on defense in the NCL II in 2021, Sneathen sports a 3.36 GPA and is active in several Upper Lake High clubs. He has been on the honor roll all four years at Upper Lake, a member of 4H for nine years and FFA for four years.
“Personable, involved, intelligent, talented and athletic are the words that best describe Bradley Sneathen. He is talented in a variety of areas, which sets him apart from most other students,” Upper Lake High School principal Annie Pivniska Petrie said of Sneathen.
Sneathen wants to attend Texas A&M after graduating from Upper Lake this spring and is interested in pursuing a career in the medical field, possibly as a chiropractor.
He is the son of Eric and Melanie Sneathen of Upper Lake.
Hoogendoorn
An All-League first-team quarterback for the Mustangs during the 2021 season, Hoogendoorn also carried a 4.08 GPA in the classroom. He was heavily involved in his community, logging 226 hours of community service while also playing three varsity sports — football, basketball and baseball.
“On the football field, Luke was our leader,” longtime Middletown head coach Bill Foltmer said. “He is one of the smartest quarterbacks I have ever coached. He was able to read defenses, make quick decisions and tell other players their assignments.”
Hoogendoorn helped lead Middletown’s 2021 squad to a second-place finish in the NCL I standings and another trip to the North Coast Section playoffs where the Mustangs won their first game before falling to eventual section and state champion Salesian of Richmond.
He plans to attend Cal Poly after graduating from Middletown this spring and will pursue a career in physical therapy.
Hoogendoorn is the son of Jon and Roxi Hoogendoorn.
