THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY – 2007 Week 2

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1947 – Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS were edged 7-6 by the BEARS of Hawthorne in their Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) opener on their way to a co-championship with the GOLDEN BEARS of Lyndhurst. Independently in 1944 and in the B-PIL 1945-55, our CUTTERS went 9-3 (.750) over the BEARS. When Hawthorne, then the only Passaic County school in the league, left in ’56, the league was renamed the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL).

1957 – Bennett’s CUTTERS were beat 38-13 by the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) MAROON RAIDERS of Englewood in independent action. Independently 1945-46, 1957-58 and 1986-89 and in the NNJIL 1959-71, our CUTTERS have gone 14-7 (.667) over the MAROON RAIDERS.

1967 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS beat the HILLTOPPERS of Summit in independent action. The victory would be Fair Lawn’s only one in the 1967 – 70 rivalry as the HILLTOPPERS would go 3-1 (.750) over our CUTTERS.

1977 – Rich Szura’s CUTTERS were edged 19-13 by the COMETS of Hackensack in Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) action. During 1959-82 in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) the COMETS went 16-7-1 (.696) over our CUTTERS. In 1959, Fair Lawn’s maiden season in the league, our CUTTERS won 27-6 and yet saw Hackensack take the title by half a game. Frank Bennett’s 1953 B-PIL champs shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III State title with the COMETS. Mike Alberque’s 2000 CUTTERS put up a whale of a battle before losing 14-6 to the nationally ranked COMETS in the States.

1987 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS beat the GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo 12-7 in NBIL Division 1 action. Ramapo leads the 1956-58 and 1984-present rivalry 16-10 (.615). Fair Lawn's last victory was in 1995 when we beat freshman QB Chris Simms!

1997 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS were beaten 41 - 6 by those same GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo in NBIL action.