THE GRIDIRON 8 - 2006

By Dick Engelhardt

The Cutters of Fair Lawn High were shut out 33-0 by the INDIANS of Pascack Valley last week in Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) interdivisional action. It was the fourth straight shut out loss for our CUTTERS and the 80th in their 64 season GRIDIRON history. Fair Lawn has shut out the opposition 81 times. On defense, Mike Barchefski Ahmet Basci, Yuval Bussi, Nick Graff, Sergio LaPlaca, Kevin Ramishvilli, Dom Rizzo, Tommy Spear and Alberto Zabalaga made nice plays. Basci got off some booming punts and he and Barchefski made key 4th down stops that gave Fair Lawn the ball. Barchefski made a TD saving tackle too. While the offense was stymied, Fair Lawn fans were treated to some fireworks. Graff completed passes for yardage to Barchefski, Dan Mucha and Spear. Our “never-say-die CUTTERS” tried an onside kick to start the second half but the INDIANS recovered it. Pascack Valley now leads the 1955-56, 1984-85 and 1988-present rivalry 12-10-1 (.545).

The PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills assured themselves of at least a tie for and probably clinched the NBIL Division 1 title beating the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley/Old Tappan 21-10. Only the GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo stand in the way of an undefeated NBIL Division 1 season for the PATS this weekend. In Division 2 the BRAVES of Indian Hills mauled the BEARS of Bergenfield 34-6. Fair Lawn’s NBIL Division I went 1-1 (.500) against Division 2. While Fair Lawn lost, the NBIL Division 1 HIGHLANDERS of Northern Highlands roared back from an 18-0 deficit to shock the Division 2 RAMS of Ramsey 26-18. The win still left the NBIL Division 2 leading Division 1in the 2006 series 10-5 (.667). I heard the thrilling end of that game on WGHT Radio. It was reminiscent of the most exciting game in FLHS history played at GIANTS STADIUM in 1980. Tri-Champions of the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) with Clifton and Passaic Valley, our CUTTERS faced the Indians of Passaic, representing the old Passaic Valley Conference (PVC) in the States. They trailed 7-0, 12-0, 12-7 and 18-7 but roared back to win a 27-18 1st round playoff thriller! The THUNDERBIRDS of Mahwah, NORSEMEN of Northern Valley/Demarest and those GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo had their bye week.

Pascack Valley Coach Nielsen was the star running back on Bergenfield’s State championship team in the 1970s and coached at Fair Lawn under Pete Natale 1980-85. He was there for that GIANTS STADIUM thriller. The ’84 and ’85 CUTTERS were NBIL Division 1 champs with the ’85 team going to the States and losing a heart breaker 36-26 to Passaic in what the Passaic announcer humorously called “One River Stadium.” Craig Nielsen is a class guy! His Fair Lawn friends will be rooting for his INDIANS in the North Jersey, Section 1, GROUP II playoff hunt.

This Saturday our CUTTERS have their bye. Next week, we’ll take a look at the season to date and the goings on in the NBIL. Until then, GO CUTTERS GO!!!