THE GRIDIRON 11 - 2008

By Dick Engelhardt

The Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) Division 1 CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High were edged 28-27 by the Northern Hills Conference (NHC) Skyline Division MUSTANGS of Montville in a thriller Sunday at Sasso Field in State “Consolation Game” action. Captains Nick Graff, Kevin Carlson, Travis Kubasta and Brian Walis won the coin toss and Fair Lawn received. With center Walis, guards Yuval Bussi and Sergio LaPlaca and tackles Mike Oates and Adam Polisi blocking, Carlson, Christian Samra and Joe Visaggio picked up yardage. Visaggio electrified the crowd with an 82 yard TD scamper and with Greg Rau snapping and Visaggio holding, Sacir Hot kicked the extra point for a 7-0 Fair Lawn lead. QB Kubasta passed to Visaggio and to Graff for key first downs and Visaggio ran 5 yards for another TD. Hot’s kick had Fair Lawn up 14-0 at the half. Carlson’s sensational 55 yard TD run and Hot’s kick put our CUTTERS up 21-7. Montville scored twice to tie the game at 21. Kubasta passed to Graff and Carlson for key first downs and Samra ran 6 yards for a TD to put Fair Lawn up 27-21. Then Visaggio, from his holding position, fired a pass to Samra which just missed making the 2 point conversion. Montville came back to go ahead 28-21 and our “never-say-die” Cutters began the last fateful drive. Kubasta passed to Visaggio and Carlson for first downs on 4th down. With seconds on the clock, Hot lined up for a 42 yard field goal that would win the game. He was injured on the play and the kick fell short. On “D,” Chris Soltys has 2 fumble recoveries and Egor Buharin intercepted a pass. Rob Burns, Yuval Bussi, Sergio LaPlaca, James Mallon and Tim Schrettner made big plays. Brendan Walis made a neat hit on the second half kickoff. Fair Lawn is now 7-3 (.700) in Consolation Games since they started in 1998.

Fair Lawn’s NBIL was proud as a peacock as its teams went 3-1 (.750) in the States. In North Jersey, Section 1, Group III, Fair Lawn’s Division 1 saw its champion PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills beat the NHC Skyline Division HIGHLANDERS of West Milford 44-8 and extend their wining streak to 50 games while its GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo were shut out 7-0 by the NHC Suburban Division LANCERS of Lakeland. The NBIL Division 2 saw its champion INDIANS of Pascack Valley beat the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) SPARTANS of Paramus 38-14 in Group III and, in Group II, its RAMS of Ramsey upset the Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL) American Division SCARLETS of Ridgefield Park 7-6. Fair Lawn coach (1988-2001) Mike Alberque starred for Ridgefield Park in the 70s and his son, Mike, is a star on the current SCARLETS team. He ran for the Ridgefield Park TD.

In Consolation Game action, the NBIL went 3-4 (.429) against teams from the Bergen-Passaic Scholastic League (B-PSL), the Iron Hills Conference (IHC) Iron Division, the NHC, the NNJIL and the Sussex County Interscholastic League (SCIL). In addition to Fair Lawn’s loss, The BRAVES of Indian Hills were beaten 37-28 by the RANGERS of Wallkill Valley, the BEARS of Bergenfield were shut out 34-0 by the WILDCATS of High Point, a team Fair Lawn had beaten the last 2 years, and the HIGHLANDERS of Northern Highlands were beaten 38-7 by the MARAUDERS of Mount Olive. However, the NORSEMEN of Northern Valley/Demarest beat the GOLDEN EAGLES of Morris Knolls 46-29, the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley/Old Tappan ambushed the HIGHWAYMEN of Teaneck 42-0 and the THUNDERBIRDS of Mahwah beat the WARRIORS of Waldwick 47-20. The NBIL is 7-5 (.583) against other leagues so far in ’08.

This weekend the State playoffs continue. Next week we’ll look at that and ahead to the 51st renewal of the rivalry between the CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High and the BEARS of Bergenfield, the 15th on Thanksgiving Day, at home at Sasso Field. Until then GO CUTTERS GO!!!