THE GRIDIRON 13 - 2007

By Dick Engelhardt

Chris Soltys and Nick Graff were the heroes of the day as the CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High closed out their 2007 season with a thrilling 23-21 victory over the BEARS of Bergenfield on Thanksgiving morning. With 5 minutes remaining Soltys, with Mike Barchefski holding, kicked a 30 yard field goal to put our CUTTERS ahead and with 3:42 on the clock, Graff intercepted a pass at the Fair Lawn 8 yard line enabling our CUTTERS to hold on for the win. Captains Barchefski, Ahmet Basci, Lasha Malazonia and Kevin Ramishvilli won the coin toss and elected to receive. Behind center Brian Walis, guards Yuval Bussi and Ramishvilli and tackles Chris Liptrot and Ablerto Zabalaga, Kevin Carlson, Graff and Joe Visaggio picked up yardage. Visaggio ran 13 yards for a TD and Soltys kicked the point after to put Fair Lawn up 7-0. The BEARS came right back to lead 8-7 and scored again to lead 14-7. Carlson’s 28 yard TD scamper and Soltys’ point after kick tied it at 14. QB Travis Kubasta threw to Visaggio for first downs and Carlson’s TD run put Fair Lawn up 20-14 at the half.

The BEARS began the 2nd half running back the kickoff for a TD and led 21-20 setting up the late game heroics. In the closing minutes Carlson ran a punt to the Bergenfield 47, Visaggio ran for 2 first downs behind Bussi and Liptrot and Kubasta’s pass to Basci brought up a 4th down. Soltys’s kick electrified the crowd and Fair Lawn fans were delirious with joy as Kubasta took a knee to end the game. There were plenty of heroes on “D’ too. Bruce Cheifitz, Graff, and Peter Park teamed up on a terrific stop. Mike Copelton, Ramishvilli and Visaggio made TD saving tackles, Carlson and Egor Buharin stopped a runner for a big loss and Basci and Sergio LaPlaca made key stops. Barchefski recovered a fumble and Carlson intercepted a pass. Fair Lawn leads the 1945-48 and 1962-present rivalry 34-16 (.680) and the 1994-present Turkey Day rivalry 10-4 (.714).

In the other Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) Division 1 game the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley/Old Tappan shut out the NORSEMEN of NV/Demarest 29-0. The THUNDERBIRDS of Mahwah earned a share of the NBIL Division 2 title with the INDIANS of Pascack Valley by beating the RAMS of Ramsey 28-7. Fair Lawn’s NBIL Division 1 went 2-1 (.667) against Division 2. In addition to Fair Lawn’s win, the GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo edged the BRAVES of Indian Hills 24-21 while the HIGHLANDERS of Northern Highlands were shut out 21-0 by Pascack Valley. I saw that game and enjoyed “spotting” for former Fair Lawn announcer, now the “Voice of the Highlanders,” Joe Hausmann. My twin brother, Bill, and I did that at Fair Lawn for Joe 1967-96. I became the “Voice of the Cutters” in 1997. The NBIL Division 1 took the 2007 series 12-11 (.522).

New coach Stan Myles and assistants Andrew Beringer, James Beshaw, John DiGiorgio, Robert Gentile, Danny Iozzia and Ryan Ramiccio and volunteer coaches Joseph Brislin and Eddie Guy led our CUTTERS to a respectable 4-6 (.400) record with Fair Lawn in nearly every game until the end. The CUTTERS are back! Fair Lawn’s 1943-2007 record is 298-275-14 (.520). As they look ahead to 2008 our CUTTERS will miss guys like Barchefski, Basci, Cheifitz, Copelton, Liptrot, Malazonia, Anthony Melendez, Ramishvilli, Melkis Rosario, John Samoilis, Randy Tomlin and Steve Young. Guys like Matt Brunetti, Buharin, Bussi, Carlson, Graff, Kubasta, La Placa, James Mallon, Nick Leone, Mike Oates, Park, Soltys, Michael Szwed, Walis, Visaggio, Zabalaga and others could make Fair Lawn strong in ’08. I can hardly wait. Until then, GO CUTTERS GO!!!