TURKEY DAY IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY 2007

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1947 – Frank Bennett’s Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) co-champion (with the GOLDEN BEARS of Lyndhurst) CUTTERS beat the MAROONS of Ridgewood 7-6. It was the first Fair Lawn victory in the 1944-83 Annual Classic. Ridgewood led the series 3-1 (.750).

1957 – Bennett’s CUTTERS were beaten 34-6 by the MAROONS of Ridgewood in Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) action. The B-PIL had become the NBIL in 1956. Throughout the 1950s the winner often took the league title. Bennett’s 1953 CUTTERS beat Ridgewood 26-6 and were B-PIL champs and his 1955 CUTTERS beat Ridgewood 19-7 and were B-PIL champs. The MAROONS led the series 9-7 (.563).

1967 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS were edged 18-12 by the MAROONS in Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) action. Ridgewood led the series 14-8-2 (.636).

1977 – Rich Szura’s CUTTERS were beaten 25-9 by the MAROONS in NNJIL action. Ridgewood led the series 23-9-2 (.719). They would take the 1944-83 rivalry 26-11-3 (.703).

1987 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS beat the PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills 20-7 in NBIL Division 1 action. Fair Lawn had left the NNJIL and returned to the NBIL in 1984. Our CUTTERS led the series 4-0. The 1984-93 Turkey Day rivalry wound up 5-5 (.500).

1997 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS beat the BEARS of Bergenfield 38-7 in NBIL Division 1 action. Fair Lawn led the Turkey Day series, which began in 1994, 4-0. Going into Turkey Day 2007, 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.