THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY – 2007 Week 1

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1947 – Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS began their season going outside their Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) and edging the Passaic Valley Conference (PVC) GHOSTS of Paterson Eastside 20-19. During 1947-54 and 1983 Fair Lawn went 5-4 (.556) over the GHOSTS. This was sweetened by the fact that, until FLHS opened in 1943, most Fair Lawn students attended Eastside. A few students from the Columbia Heights section went to Hawthorne and the Radburn section students went to Ridgewood. The 4-4 (.500) deadlock was broken by the 20-18 Fair Lawn victory in 1983.

1957 – Bennett’s CUTTERS went outside their renamed Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) losing 31-19 to the HIGHWAYMEN of Teaneck and the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL). During 1954-58 independently and 1959-82 in the NNJIL our CUTTERS went 17-11-1 (.607) over the HIGHWAYMEN.

1967 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS, having had their 24 game non-losing streak ended by the shocking 40-34 upset by the MAROONS of Ridgewood on Turkey Day 1966, began their ’67 season shutting out the MAROON RAIDERS of Englewood 7-0 in NNJIL action. In independent action 1945-46, 1957-58 and 1986-89 and in the NNJIL 1959-71, our CUTTERS have gone 14-7 (.667) over the MAROON RAIDERS.

1977 – Rich Szura’s CUTTERS were shut out 27-0 by the BEARS of Bergenfield in NNJIL action. Fair Lawn leads the 1945-48 and 1962-present rivalry 33-16 (.673) and the 1994-present Turkey Day rivalry 9-4 (.692). The teams have squared off 1945-48 in the B-PIL, 1962-83 in the NNJIL and since 1984 in the NBIL.

1987 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS beat the HIGHLANDERS of Northern Highlands 28-21 in NBIL interdivisional action. Natale would close out his 10 year tenure with an NBIL Division 1 crown and a State playoff appearance! The HIGHLANDERS lead the 1986-93 and 1998 – present rivalry 9-8 (.529).

1997 – Mile Alberque’s CUTTERS began their season thrashing the NORSEMEN of Northern Valley/Demarest 48-0 in NBIL Division 1 action. Our CUTTERS lead the 1956-58 and 1990- present rivalry 12-8 (.600).