THE GRIDIRON 6-2006

By Dick Engelhardt

The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High were shut out 27-0 last Saturday by the GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo in Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) Division 1 action. It was the 78th shut out loss in Fair Lawn’s 64 year Gridiron history while our CUTTERS have shut out their opponents 81 times. The GREEN RAIDERS lead the 1956-58 and 1984-present rivalry 16-10 (.615). Our “never-say-die” CUTTERS kept it close for some time trailing only 7-0 at the half. Tommy Spear ran the kick off back to the 45 and a kick off after a TD back to the 35. He had a great return nullified by a penalty. Nick Graff picked up yardage running and, when he was in at QB, threw some nice passes to Spear and Joey Visaggio. Mike Agyemang, Dom Novielli, Dom Rizzo and Mina Youseff made big plays on “D.” Spear intercepted a pass, Sergio LaPlaca made a TD saving tackle, Mike Barchefski sacked the QB and Graff and Ahmet Basci teamed up on a sack. Our heroes were outsized though and couldn’t get anything going on offense.

It was a pleasure for me to announce that the Class of 1961 was in town for their 45 year reunion. They were seniors on the 1960 CUTTERS which were the last team to play for legendary coach Frank Bennett. During 1945-60 Bennett posted a record of 71-55-6 (.564). His CUTTERS won Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) titles in 1945, their first year in the league, 1946 with the BUCCANEERS of Bogota, 1947 with the GOLDEN BEARS of Lyndhurst, 1953 and 1955, when my twin brother, Bill, and I were water boys. Bennett’s ’53 CUTTERS, with Dave Sime, the world’s fastest human, lugging the pigskin, were North Jersey, Section 1, Group III State champions with Hackensack.

In the other NBIL Division 1 games the PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills continued their run through the league and remained undefeated trouncing the NORSEMEN of Northern Valley/Demarest 48-0 while the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley/Old Tappan beat the HIGHLANDERS of Northern Highlands 42-21. In Division 2 the THUNDERBIRDS of Mahwah surprised the INDIANS of Pascack Valley 7-6 and the RAMS of Ramsey scalped the BRAVES of Indian Hills 32-14. The BEARS of Bergenfield had their bye week.

This week our CUTTERS are home at Sasso Field at 2:30 hosting the BRAVES of Indian Hills in an NBIL interdivisional game. Fair Lawn leads the 1984-97 and 2000-present rivalry against the BRAVES 12-8 (.600). Our CUTTERS are 0-5 and have been outscored an average of 26-6. Indian Hills is 0-4 and has been outscored an average of 41-10. This is a game our CUTTERS can win with an all out effort. From here it looks like Fair Lawn 14 – Indian Hills 10. GO CUTTERS GO!!!