THE GRIDIRON 1 - 2006

By Dick Engelhardt

It’s great to be back on THE GRIDIRON again as The CUTTERS Of Fair Lawn High begin their 64th season with a record of 293-260-14 (.530). 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 in 1943 and 44 after starting up with 3 JV games. 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 is 63 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). 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. Bennett’s 1953 B-PIL champions featured Dave Sime, who became the “World’s Fastest Human,” and shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III State championship with Hackensack. 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. 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. What a thrill it was to see Bennett, Devens and Sime among the initial inductees into the Fair Lawn High Hall Of Fame in August! As “The Voice Of The CUTTERS,” I was privileged to present 1959 star Bob Wright and 1965 and 66 star Bruce Jankowski for induction.

Fair Lawn opens the season Saturday at 1:30 at SASSO FIELD against Northern Valley, Old Tappan in NBIL Division 1 action. The “Home Of The CUTTERS” is named after Fair Lawn High School athletic director, teacher and vice principal (1944-78), Virgil G. “Virge” Sasso, who was also in the initial group inducted into the Hall Of Fame. Fair Lawn leads the 1984 – present rivalry 14–8 (636) but the GOLDEN KNIGHTS have won the last 4 games. Our CUTTERS have hopes for a successful season and want to start it off with a victory against a strong foe. Let’s all be at SASSO FIELD cheering them on. From here it looks like Fair Lawn 21 – NV/Old Tappan - 14. GO CUTTERS GO!!!