THE GRIDIRON 12-2006

By Dick Engelhardt

Fair Lawn’s Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) was proud as a Peacock last week as two of its teams advanced to the State playoff finals. In North Jersey, Section 1, Group III action the NBIL Division 1 champion PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills shut out the HORNETS of Passaic Valley and the Northern Hills Conference (NHC) Skyline Division 33-0. Wayne Hills leads the 1984 – present rivalry with our CUTTERS 18-5 (.783). Fair Lawn’s last victory was in 1989 when Mike Alberque’s NBIL Division 1 champion and playoff bound CUTTERS thrashed the PATRIOTS 35-8. During 1944-46 and 1966 in independent action and 1967- 81 and 83 in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) the HORNETS went 13-6-2 (.684) over our CUTTERS. Wayne Hills will face the VIKINGS of Parsippany Hills for the title.

In Group II the NBIL Division 2 INDIANS of Pascack Valley shut out the CHIEFS of Hopatcong and the Sussex County Interscholastic League (SCIL) 22-0 breaking the 2 year streak of losing to SCIL teams. Pascack Valley leads the 1955-56, 1984-85 and 1988-present rivalry with Fair Lawn 12-10-1 (.545). The NBIL Division 2 THUNDERBIRDS of Mahwah lost 34-7 to the Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL) American Division CARDINALS of Westwood. The 2-1 (.667) weekend record against other leagues has the NBIL ahead 9-6 (.600) on the season. Pascack Valley faces Westwood in the finals.

On Thanksgiving Day our CUTTERS travel to Bergenfield to take on the BEARS. Fair Lawn leads the 1945-48 and 1962-present rivalry 33-15 (.688) and the 1994-present Turkey Day rivalry 9-3 (.750). Many of the games have been thrillers. Last year’s battle at SASSO FIELD went back and forth with the BEARS pulling out a 31-24 victory. The 2004 game ended virtually on the last play. With 4 seconds on the clock, QB Vinnie Graff threw 16 yards to Stephen Macchairola in the corner of the end zone to put Fair Lawn ahead 19-18. Tommy Spear covered the squib kick and it was over. In 1978 Graff’s uncle, Richie, threw a 25 yard TD pass to Steve Jubelt to beat the MAROONS of Ridgewood 15-7 on Turkey Day as time expired. Screams of “He caught it! He caught it!” were heard then and 26 years later, Graff’s nephew teamed up with Macchairola to do it again!

And now QB Nick Graff leads our CUTTERS into battle. Fair Lawn and Bergenfield are both 1-8 (.111). Bergenfield has been outscored an average 27-10 and Fair Lawn has been outscored an average of 26-6. Our “never-say-die” CUTTERS can win this one. From here it looks like Fair Lawn 21 – Bergenfield 13. GO CUTTERS GO!!!