Alecxih presents HS with Super Bowl football

Penn Manor alumnus and pro football player Chas Alecxih returned to Penn Manor High School Wednesday to formally present a very special gift to his alma mater.

Alecxih gave the high school a Wilson Golden Football as part of an NFL program that honors schools and communities that contributed to Super Bowl history.

Penn Manor received the ball because Alecxih, a 2007 graduate, participated in the 2016 Super Bowl as a member of the Carolina Panthers.

Penn Manor is among the more than 2,000 high schools around the world recognized this year with a gold ball featuring the school’s name and location, the honoree’s name, and the Super Bowl(s) in which the honoree appeared.

Alecxih was among the nearly 3,000 players and head coaches honored. During Wednesday’s presentation at the high school, he was joined by current Comets football players and coach John Brubaker.

Earlier this year, Alecxih had another Penn Manor homecoming when he visited his second-grade classroom at Central Manor Elementary School at the request of teacher Beth Mader.

He talked with Mader’s students about their career dreams and shared how he was able to accomplish his goal of playing professional football, a dream he’s had since he was a second-grader.

After graduating from Penn Manor, he attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he played in 42 games as a defensive tackle. He played on three different NFL teams before joining the Panthers.

Alecxih told students that his NFL career was marked by many challenges as he fought back from injuries while playing for different teams. The Super Bowl was a “surreal” experience, he told them.

Thanks, Chas, for giving us yet another reason to be “Penn Manor Proud!”