Two local athletes were selected to receive the Bay State Games Athlete of the Year Awards on Wednesday morning. Delaney Ochs of South Hadley and Dewey Hathaway of Chesterfield, each took home an award, celebrating their achievements as a twirler and in archery, respectively.
The 12-year-old Ochs won the Female Youth Athlete award and has racked up quite the resume while competing at the Bay State Games. Ochs has collected 29 gold, 17 silver, and 6 bronze medals in a seven-year span.
Ochs is currently the Feature Twirler for the South Hadley High School Marching Band.
Hathaway, 18, has been a regular competitor at the Bay State Games since 2018 and has obtained four gold and one silver medal in that time.
A freshman at Western New England, Hathaway — who won the Male Youth Athlete award — has also represented his country as a member of USA Archery’s U18 Team, winning gold in 2024 at the World Archery Field Championships.
“We are proud to announce our 2025 Bay State Games Athletes of the Year,” Bay State Games Executive Director Kevin Cummings said in a press release. “Bay State Games provides opportunities for athletes of all ages in a wide variety of sports. This year’s recipients truly represent the outstanding abilities and achievements of just a few of the thousands of participants that take part each year.”