THE GRIDIRON 12 - 2007

By Dick Engelhardt

Fair Lawn’s Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) saw three of its teams in State Playoff action last week. In North Jersey, Section 1, Group III, I saw the NBIL Division 1 champion PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills ring up their 39th straight win knocking out the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley/Old Tappan 23-6. They face the INDIANS of Wayne Valley in the final at GIANTS STADIUM. In Group II I saw the NBIL Division 2 INDIANS of Pascack Valley edge the COUGARS of Kittatiny 21-18, bringing the ‘07 NBIL record against other leagues to 10-5 (.667). The INDIANS face the GOLDEN HAWKS of River Dell in the final at GIANTS STADIUM. Not only is PV head coach, Craig Nielsen, a former Fair Lawn assistant coach (1980-85) but PV assistant coach, Craig Buckley was Fair Lawn’s QB in 1992. My son, Craig Engelhardt, was on Mike Alberque’s ’92 CUTTERS too along with Frank Morano, now coach of the BULLDOGS of Rutherford.

At 10:30 on Thanksgiving morning the CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High travel to Bergenfield to take on the BEARS for the 50th time. The rivalry began in 1945 when our CUTTERS, in their third GRIDIRON season, joined the Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL), which had been formed in 1943, the year Fair Lawn High opened, by Bergenfield, Bogota, Hawthorne, Lyndhurst and Ramsey. Bergenfield left the league in 1949 for the Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL). During 1945-48 in the B-PIL our CUTTERS went 4-0 (1.000) over the then MIGHTY MITES. Fair Lawn and Ridgewood (the MAROONS had joined it in 1950) left the renamed Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) in 1959 for the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL).

In 1962 the MIGHTY MITES along with the SPARTANS of Paramus joined the NNJIL and the Fair Lawn – Bergenfield rivalry resumed. During the 1962-83 NNJIL years Fair Lawn went 15-7 (.682) over Bergenfield. The MIGHTY MITES became the BEARS in 1966. In 1984 Fair Lawn and Bergenfield returned to the NBIL along with the RAMS of Ramsey. Since 1984 our CUTTERS have gone 14-9 (.609) against the BEARS in NBIL action. In 1994 the THUNDERBIRDS of Mahwah joined the NBIL and Turkey Day rivalries were shuffled to let them play Ramsey on Thanksgiving. Bergenfield and Fair Lawn, who wanted to pair up in 1984, finally became Thanksgiving Day rivals. Bergenfield had been playing the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley/Old Tappan on Turkey Day while our CUTTERS went 5-5 (.500) against the PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills 1984-93. Fair Lawn leads the Turkey Day series with Bergenfield 9-4 (.692). Our CUTTERS lead the overall rivalry 1945-48 and 1962 to the present 33-16 (.673) but Bergenfield has won the last 2 games. It’s the longest standing rivalry in the 65 season GRIDIRON history of Fair Lawn High. The next longest was the 40 season 1944-83 Thanksgiving Day rivalry with Ridgewood, taken 26-11-3 (.703) by the MAROONS.

Fair Lawn is improved this year under Coach Stan Myles. Our CUTTERS come into the game 3-6 (.333) having been outscored 205-150 for an average loss of 23-17. They’ve been in every game except the Wayne Hills game and the PATRIOTS have that 39 game winning streak going so there’s no shame in that. Fair Lawn has scored at least 2 touchdowns in every game except the Wayne Hills shut out and has scored 3 Touchdowns in 3 games and 6 in the Consolation Game victory over High Point. The BEARS come into the game 2-7 (.222) having been outscored 257-119 for an average loss of 29-13. They’ve lost their last 4 games. Our CUTTERS will make an all out effort to win this one and close out a very decent season. From here it looks like Fair Lawn 27 – Bergenfield 13. GO CUTTERS GO!!!