THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY – 2007 Week 8

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1947 - Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS beat the GOLDEN BEARS of Lyndhurst 19-6 earning a Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) co-championship with them. The CUTTERS had shared the ’46 title with the BUCCANEERS of Bogota and won the ’45 title outright in their first year in the league. They would win it again in ’53 and ’55. The ’53 CUTTERS, with Dave Sime, later, “The World’s Fastest Human,” were co- North Jersey, Section 1, Group III State champs with the COMETS of Hackensack. Our CUTTERS took the 1945-53 Lyndhurst rivalry 5-4 (.556).

1957 – Bennett’s CUTTERS beat the GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo 27-6 in Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) action. The B-PIL had become the NBIL in 1956. Ramapo leads the 1956-58 and 1984-present rivalry 16-11 (.593). Fair Lawn's last victory had been in 1995 when we beat freshman QB Chris Simms, but the thrilling 19-18 Fair Lawn win this year with Kevin Ramishvilli blocking a last second Ramapo field goal try, broke the losing streak!

1967 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS were stung 21-0 by the HORNETS of Passaic Valley in Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) action. During 1944-46 and 1966 independently and 1967- 81 and 83 in the NNJIL, the HORNETS went 13-6-2 (.684) over our CUTTERS including a 20-0 shut out victory in the 1980 State playoff finals at GIANTS STADIUM after Fair Lawn had beaten the INDIANS of Passaic 27-18 in the first round.

1977 – Rich Szura’s CUTTERS were edged 16-13 by the SPARTANS of Paramus in NNJIL action. During 1962-83 in the NNJIL, the SPARTANS went 12-10 (.545) over our CUTTERS. It was a great rivalry that ended when Fair Lawn returned to the NBIL in 1984.

1987 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS shut out the RAMS of Ramsey 16-0 in NBIL interdivisional action. Fair Lawn leads the 1945-58, 1984-99 and 2002-06 rivalry by an astounding 28 games to 7 (.800)!

1997 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS beat those same RAMS 24-6 in NBIL interdivisional action.