TURKEY DAY IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY 2006

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1946 – Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS shared the Bergen-Passaic interscholastic League (B-PIL) title with the BUCANNEERS of Bogota. On Thanksgiving morning they were edged 19-18 by the MAROONS of Ridgewood who now led the 3 year old Annual Classic 3-0 (1.000). Victory would come in ’47 for our CUTTERS!

1956 – Bennett’s CUTTERS were edged 7-6 by the MAROONS who took the championship of the renamed Northern Bergen interscholastic League (NBIL). Ridgewood led the series 8-5 (.615).

1966 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS were champions of the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) and carried a 24 game non-losing streak into the Turkey Day clash with the MAROONS that began with game 3 in 1964. The MAROONS shocked our CUTTERS 40-34 before a crowd of 13,000 plus at what is now SASSO FIELD and led the rivalry 13-8-2 (.619).

1976 – Rich Szura’s CUTTERS were beaten 43-14 by the MAROONS in NNJIL action. Ridgewood led the rivalry 22-9-2 (.710).

1986 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS shut out the PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills 6-0 in NBIL Division 1 action. Fair Lawn led the series 3-0 (1.000). The 1984-93 Turkey Day rivalry wound up knotted at 10-10 (.500).

1996 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS mauled the BEARS of Bergenfield 37-7 in NBIL Division 1 action. Our CUTTERS led the Turkey Day series 3-0 (1.000). Going into the 2006 game Fair Lawn leads the 1945-48 and 1962-present rivalry 33-15 (.688) and the 1994-present Turkey Day rivalry 9-3 (.750).