THE GRIDIRON 1 - 2005

By Dick Engelhardt

THE GRIDIRON unfolds again as The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High begin their 63rd season with a record of 291-252-14 (.536). Our CUTTERS have outscored their opponents 9,238 to 8,441. It all started September 13th, 1943 when FLHS opened without seniors, who stayed at Paterson Eastside, Hawthorne and Ridgewood to graduate in 1944. Coach Marty Fischbein led the CUTTERS to a fine 9-4-2 (.682) record in independent action 1943–44. Some called the new team the COMETS because they scored quickly in their first game (A 7-6 loss to Lodi), and others called them the CLIPPERS. Then, before the Leonia game, team captain Jack Van Olden led Tony DiNegri, Art Jaeggi, Jack Knowles, Al Livingston and Bill Perkins on a sneak trip to the Rivoli Theater in Paterson to see a movie during school hours. The miscreants were caught and coach Fischbein kept those “cutters” out of the game. With the LIONS up 12-0 he put our heroes in and Fair Lawn roared back to win 13-12. The student body, having chosen Crimson and Gray as the school colors, now insisted the athletic teams be known as “The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High.” And so it still is 62 glorious years later!

In 2002, Greg Tanzer, a 1976 FLHS grad, became the 9th head coach. He had been defensive coordinator the previous 2 years and was also an assistant under Coach Pete Natale 1983–85. He followed Marty Fischbein (1943–44), Frank Bennett (1945–60), Ed Sheehy (1961-64), Frank Devens (1965–71), Al Reinoso (1972–74), Rich Szura (1975–77), Pete Natale (1978–87) and Mike Alberque (1988–2001). Alberque is now the athletic director. Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) championships came under Bennett in 1945, 1946 (with the BUCCANEERS of Bogota), 1947 (with the GOLDEN BEARS of Lyndhurst), 1953 and 1955. Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) championships came in 1965 and 1966 under Devens and 1980 (with the FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High and the HORNETS of Passaic Valley) under Natale. In 1984 Fair Lawn returned to the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (the B-PIL had been renamed the NBIL in 1956), which our CUTTERS had left in 1959, and Natale’s CUTTERS took the Division 1 title in 1984, 1985 and 1987. Albergue’s 1989 CUTTERS took the NBIL Division 1 title too. The football playoffs began in 1974 and Fair Lawn was in them under Natale in 1979, 1980, 1985 and 1987. Alberque got the CUTTERS into the States in 1988, 1989 and 2000.

Fair Lawn opens the season Friday night at 7:30 in Franklin Lakes against Ramapo. The GREEN RAIDERS lead the 1956–58 and 1984–present rivalry 14–10 (.583) and have won the last 9 games. Fair Lawn’s last victory was 37–14 in 1995 when Ramapo’s QB, Chris Simms (Son of Phil) was a freshman. Our CUTTERS have hopes for a successful season and want to start it off with a victory. Last season ended with a dramatic 16 yard TD pass from QB Vinnie Graff to Stephen Macchairola giving our CUTTERS a thrilling 19-18 victory over Bergenfield on Thanksgiving Day. In 1978, Vinnie’s Uncle, Richie Graff, threw a 24 yard TD strike to Steve Jubelt as time expired beating the MAROONS of Ridgewood 15-7 on Turkey Day. The huge Fair Lawn crowd roared “He caught it! He caught it!” Twenty six years later the fans were treated to a repeat miracle. Let’s root for more such moments in ’05. From here it looks like Fair Lawn 21 – Ramapo 14. GO CUTTERS GO!!!