THE GRIDIRON 5 - 2005

By Dick Engelhardt

The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High lost a heart breaking thriller 20-15 to the HIGHLANDERS of Northern Highlands last Saturday in Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) interdivisional action. After the HIGHLANDERS went ahead 7-0 our never-say die CUTTERS roared back. An 80 yard drive ended with a 33 yard TD pass from QB Vinnie Graff to wide out Michael Keating. The extra point kick failed and Fair Lawn trailed only 7-6. Highlands scored again to lead 14-6. Graff threw to Keating for a big first down and, with Stephan Macchiorola holding, Randy Platter kicked a 31 yard field goal to make it 14-9 at the half.

With Highlands ahead 20-9, our heroes put on a valiant effort. Graff returned a punt to the 9 but 2 disastrous penalties drove them back to the 35 and the drive stalled. Graff later passed to Keating to the 1 and plunged in for the TD. The 2 point conversion pass from Graff to Tom Spear just missed and it was 20-15. On “D’ Michael Barchefski recovered a fumble, Dominick Rizzo sacked the QB, Keating blocked an extra point kick Amet Basci, Scott Leathem and John Macko made some great hits and Spear made a TD saving tackle. The 1986-93 and 1998-present rivalry is all even at 8-8.

It was nice to see the “Class of 55” celebrating their 50 year reunion. Over 100 of them were in the stands and they enjoyed being announced and hearing their song, “When The Saints Go Marching In,” played. I well remember the Fair Lawn High School Band under the direction of the legendary L. Barry Tedesco playing that song in the old gym back then. And the current award winning Fair Lawn High School CUTTER Marching Band under the direction of Paul A. Kafer with drum major Michele Packer and assistant drum major Heather Marte looked and sounded mighty fine Saturday too! Former Fair Lawn announcer and “Class of 58” member Joe Hausmann, now the Northern Highlands announcer, stopped by and Bob Heaney and Bob Grubb from my “Class of 57, came from out of town.” It was good to see them!

In NBIL Division 1 action the PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills outlasted the NORSEMEN of Northern Valley, Demarest 35-21. Fair Lawn’s Division 1 took it on the chin from Division 2 as, in addition to Fair Lawn’s loss, the GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo were shocked 21-14 by the INDIANS of Pascack Valley and the BEARS of Bergenfield were beaten 46-25 by the THUNDERBIRDS of Mahwah. Only the GOLDEN KIGHTS of Northern Valley, Old Tappan came through for Division 1 blasting the RAMS of Ramsey 34-7. The Division 2 BRAVES of Indian Hills had their BYE week. Surprisingly the NBIL Division 2 leads Division 1 so far on the season 4-2 (.667).

This week our CUTTERS have their BYE. They face those GOLDEN KNIGHTS in Old Tappan Friday night, October 14th at 7. Next week we’ll look at that game and the NBIL weekend results. Until then, GO CUTTERS GO!!!