THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY Game 2 – 2005

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1945 – Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS, on the way to the championship in their maiden season in the Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL), went outside the league and were shut out 6-0 by the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) MAROON RAIDERS of Englewood. In independent action 1945-46, 1957-58 and 1986-89 and in the NNJIL 1959-71, our CUTTERS have gone 14-7 (.667) over the MAROON RAIDERS.

1955 – Bennett’s CUTTERS, on their way to their final B-PIL title, shut out the BEARS of Hawthorne 33-0 in league action. Independently in 1944 and in the B-PIL 1945-55, our CUTTERS went 9-3 (.750) over the BEARS. When Hawthorne, then the only Passaic County school in the league, left in ’56, the league was renamed the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL).

1965 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS tied the COMETS of Hackensack 12-12 in NNJIL action on their way to the league title. It was game 9 of that wonderful 24 game non losing streak 1964-66. During 1959-82 in the NNJIL the COMETS went 16-7-1 (.696) over our CUTTERS. In 1959, Fair Lawn’s maiden season in the league, our CUTTERS won 27-6 and yet saw Hackensack take the title by half a game. Frank Bennett’s 1953 B-PIL champs shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III State title with the COMETS. Mike Alberque’s 2000 CUTTERS put up a whale of a battle before losing 14-6 to the nationally ranked COMETS in the States.

1975 – Rich Zura’s CUTTERS were shut out 34-0 by the HORNETS of PassaicValley in NNJIL action. During 1944-46 and 1966 independently and 1967- 81 and 83 in the NNJIL the HORNETS went 13-6-2 (.684) over our CUTTERS.

1985 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS, on their way to their second NBIL Division 1 title and first ever undefeated and untied season, shut out the GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo Regional 21-0. Ramapo leads the 1956-58 and 1984-present rivalry 15-10 (.600).

1995 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS edged the BRAVES of Indian Hills 22-21 in NBIL interdivisional action. Fair Lawn leads the 1984-97 and 2000-present rivalry 12-7 (.632).