Octorara Area High School (OAHS) held its annual athletic hall of fame ceremony during a special assembly on Oct. 2 in the auditorium as part of homecoming week festivities. Three former Octorara players, coaches and administrators were introduced as the class of 2026.

Inductees P. Malcolm "Mac" Souders, Deborah Atkins and Deandre Clark spoke at the ceremony, as well as Class of 2027 president Alexa Zavala Lopez, OAHS principal Jonathan Propper and several current student-athletes.

"Each of our inductees represent a different generation of Octorara," Zavala Lopez said. "They competed in different sports and followed very different paths after leaving high school, but they all share something important. Each made an impact that extended beyond wins, championships, statistics and awards."

Souders, a 1965 Octorara graduate, was a three-sport standout in soccer, basketball and baseball. He was a four-year varsity letterman in soccer and baseball; he also played three years on the varsity basketball team.

Souders played one season at West Chester University before leaving to serve in the Vietnam War. He later earned his bachelor's degree from Temple University and a master's degree from Drexel University before serving as an administrative assistant, athletic director and librarian at Octorara. He was also the commissioner of the Coatesville Adult League baseball program.

"At this age, I feel like I'm into extra innings, and being accepted into the hall of fame is like hitting a home run in the 10th inning to win the game," Souders said at the end of his remarks. "This will rank right up there with being in the service during Vietnam as one of the things I've done in my life of which I am most proud."

Atkins served as Octorara's field hockey coach for 22 years, helping build a program that routinely reached the postseason and won a District One title. She also coached basketball, softball, and track and field.

She also taught math in the district for nearly four decades from 1977 to 2015. Since leaving Atglen, she has represented the United States on the USA Masters field hockey team, competing internationally at Masters World Cups and other competitions.

"As someone who spent years both coaching out there and teaching in here, I can tell you that the key to success is exactly the same, no matter whether you are an athlete or student," she said. "Whether you're trying to make a varsity roster or sink a crucial foul shot, studying to pass an exam, leading a club or the band, or completing a project, it all starts when you decide to get locked in.

"Excellence isn't a switch that you magically flip on game day or test day; it's a daily practice that you build, even when no one else is watching."

Clark was a three-year starter for the varsity basketball team, earning first team All-Ches-Mont League and third team All-State honors in his 2011 senior season, when he helped lead the Braves to a District One title. He finished his high school career with 1,019 points.

He continued his athletic career at Alvernia University, where he scored 1,128 points and helped the Golden Wolves win three consecutive Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) titles in 2013, 2014 and 2015. He was the most valuable player of the 2015 MAC conference tournament.

"Octorara means so much more to me than just a school or a basketball court," he said. "It's where I grew up; it's where I learned how to compete, where I made friendships that lasted forever."

The hall of fame alternates between athletic and academic inductees each year. Nominees must be 10 years removed from their time at Octorara and are nominated by those in the school community.

"One of the reasons I believe ceremonies like this are important, particularly when we can hold them in front of you, the students, is that the hall of fame is about more than just preserving the past," Propper said. "It should connect the past to the present."