Manahawkin Neighborhood Cheering For Cincinnati Bengals Lengthy Snapper, Hometown Hero Clark Harris In Tremendous Bowl LVI

MANAHAWKIN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — The Jets and Giants won’t be taking part in within the Tremendous Bowl this 12 months, however New Jersey nonetheless has cause to cheer.

A hometown hero from Manahawkin can be taking the sphere.

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At Pietro’s Restaurant, the proprietor is busy prepping a pizza with sliced tomatoes. The dish is a favourite of native NFL participant Clark Harris, who is about to play within the Tremendous Bowl this weekend for the Cincinnati Bengals.

“It’s very thrilling. You see him right here as an everyday and then you definitely see him on TV. It’s like I do know a well-known particular person. It’s thrilling,” Nick Esposito informed CBS2’s Kiran Dhillon.

The pizza is now on particular in Harris’ honor.

The same sense of satisfaction can be being felt close by at Southern Regional Excessive Faculty the place Harris graduated in 2002 as an all-around athlete.

“We now have one among our personal within the Tremendous Bowl, you understand. Greatest sport there’s, greatest soccer sport there’s in our county and one among our alum is taking part in in it,” mentioned Chuck Donohue, the college’s athletic director. “I imply we’re so proud. We’re so excited.”

Donohue was Harris’ basketball coach. He says Harris nonetheless lives locally and at all times makes occasions to go to with athletes and college students.

“He by no means forgot the place he got here from and his intuitiveness to every thing that he has achieved for this sport, and on this sport is one thing that, you understand, he deserves this chance,” he mentioned.

Harris was drafted to the NFL in 2007 after taking part in for Rutgers College. He began taking part in for the Bengals in 2009.

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“Each time he’s on the market, even in an everyday season sport, we’re like, that’s Clark on the market, simply doing his factor,” mentioned Harris’ long-time good friend Joe Nagy, a trainer at the highschool.

“Surreal,” Dhillon mentioned.

“Yeah,” Nagy mentioned.

Nagy says Harris has labored extraordinarily onerous to get the place he’s and has made numerous sacrifices alongside the best way.

“He’s an excellent good friend. Something you want, he’s proper there to provide the shirt off his again,” Nagy mentioned.

He says Harris’ household is already in Los Angeles forward of the massive sport and plenty of of his buddies from Manahawkin are additionally on the best way.

Just a few that weren’t capable of make it will likely be at a Tremendous Bowl viewing celebration in his honor on Sunday.

“So proud. We simply need him to convey it house for Manahawkin, for us,” Nagy mentioned.

Nagy provides the complete Manahawkin neighborhood is wishing Harris and the Bengals one of the best of luck.

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CBS2’s Kiran Dhillon contributed to this report.