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We are continuing our simultaneous countdowns of the Top-10 Most Read Jersey Shore News Stories and Most Watched Jersey Shore News Stories of 2020.

Here is the 3rd most read article followed by the 3rd most watched video on our social media platforms of Facebook and YouTube across 92.7 WOBM, 94.3ThePoint, 105.7TheHawk, the new Beach 104.1 FM and the Shore Sports Network.

3rd Most Read Article...2020 Jersey Shore Election Results & 2020 Jersey Shore Primary Election Results. (Election = 39,437 Primary Election = 24,241), Story Dates: November 7, 2020 and July 8, 2020.

Ocean County ballot box in Toms River
Ocean County ballot box in Toms River (Ocean County Clerks Office)
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Technically, the Primary Election post should be in the number 7 spot on our countdown but they are combined here based on being a similar post.

It's been an unprecedented year in 2020 and certainly the subsequent election process which in New Jersey has been primarily been by mail-in ballot due to Covid-19 precautionary measures meant the results wouldn't be known right away in most cases.

These two posts captured each and every race in Ocean and Monmouth Counties as well as the State of New Jersey and the Presidential race were reported by the Ocean and Monmouth County Clerks Offices and Clerks Scott Colabella (OC) and Christine Hanlon (MC).

3rd Most Watched Video...The Eric Czaplinski Story. (8,882 Video Views), Story Date: February 4, 2020.

If there were ever a story of inspiration, courage and heart we needed to watch over and over again it's the story of Eric Czaplinski, a beacon of hope to all of us.

We all have that dream as high school athletes to get that one game, one play, one at-bat or one moment of playing on the varsity level to show we've made it and achieve the goal that even one chance means everything to some athletes.

18-year old Lacey High School senior, now alumni Eric Czaplinski has cerebral palsy.

This doesn't stop Eric from playing the game he loves.

Following three years of playing Center on the Brick Stars Challenger League Program under the USA Hockey Program and being the team manager with the Lacey Lions, Eric was able to fulfill that dream every athlete has and play in his first high school varsity game against rival Central Regional in February and score a hat trick.

It's an opportunity that was developed by Lacey High School Varsity Hockey Coach Chris DiMicco who brought the idea to other Shore Conference coaches to provide Eric the moment to shine on the ice and the Central Regional High School Hockey Coach agreed to help make this night possible.

Leading up to the game Eric couldn't contain his excitement to be out there as one of the guys and his humility shined the brightest light of them all.

"This is a good opportunity for me against Central, this is a huge opportunity for me and being with my teammates," Czaplinski said prior to the game.

The dream of not only playing in the varsity game but scoring his first goal on Monday night meant the world to his parents, Kristine and Mark, as well.

"It's a very humbling experience. We never in a million years thought our son would be out skating with a regular high school team in a regular game," Kristine said. "They've all just embraced him and it's such a great experience for him."

"This is great, all of his family and friends are here. I didn't expect this turnout. He'll remember this forever and so will we...this is just amazing," Mark said.

His coach with the Brick Stars has seen so much growth in just a short period of time.

"I've never seen him get frustrated," Brick Stars Coach Alex DePalma said. "He went from learning to skate to learning to shoot and trying to get him to skate backwards and he's always smiling. He's never without a smile."

You can watch Eric's story in the video above or below and read it here.

Check back here on our website and app for #2 in our countdown of the Top-10 Most Read Jersey Shore News Articles and Most Watched Jersey Shore News Videos of 2020.

Top-10 Recap:

6th Most Watched Video...Light Up The Night For Stephanie Parze.

4th Most Read Article...Ocean County Towns begin opening beaches for the summer. (34,059 page views), Story Date: May 7, 2020.

4th Most Watched Video...Ask The Chief with Barnegat Police Chief Keith Germain. (6,724 Video Views), Show Date: January 24, 2020.

Vin
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You can follow Vin Ebenau on Twitter and Instagram and email news tips to vin.ebenau@townsquaremedia.com.

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