THE GRIDIRON 6 - 2005

By Dick Engelhardt

The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High had their bye last week. In their Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) the BEARS of Bergenfield and THUNDERBIRDS of Mahwah also drew a bye. In Fair Lawn’s NBIL Division 1 the defending North Jersey, Section 1, Group III champion PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills remained undefeated edging the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley, Old Tappan 16-14. In Division 2 the INDIANS of Pascack Valley shut out the RAMS of Ramsey 20-0. Fair Lawn’s NBIL Division 1 split its games against Division 2 as The GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo were shocked 20-17 by the HIGHLANDERS of Northern Highlands while the NORSEMEN of Northern Valley, Demarest scalped the BRAVES of Indian Hills 24-6. Division 2 surprisingly leads the ’05 series 5-3 (.625).

This Friday at 7 our CUTTERS travel to Old Tappan to take on the GOLDEN KNIGHTS for the 22nd time in NBIL Division 1 action. The rivalry began in 1984 when Bergenfield, Fair Lawn and Ramsey all returned to their old NBIL. Fair Lawn had left the league in 1959 for a 25 year (1959-83) stint in the tough Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL). Bergenfield had left the then Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) in 1949 for the Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL) and then joined the NNJIL in 1962. Ramsey had left for the Bergen-Passaic Scholastic League (B-PSL). In that first game our CUTTERS shut out the GOLDEN KNIGHTS 21-0 on their way to the NBIL Division 1 title under Coach Pete Natale. Fair Lawn leads the series 14-7 (.667) but the GOLDEN KNIGHTS have won the last 3 games including a 47-43 shootout in 2002.

NV/Old Tappan comes into the game 2-3 (.400) having outscored the opposition 132-84 for an average 26-17 victory. Fair Lawn has lost two heartbreaker games our CUTTERS believe they could have won but are 0-4 and have been outscored 133 -41 for an average 34-10 loss. With a week off to heal injuries and regroup, the CUTTERS figure to continue to improve and will make an all out effort. Like it says in the GEICO ad, they know “You can do it!” From here it looks like Fair Lawn 17 – NV/Old Tappan 14. GO CUTTERS GO!!!