TURKEY DAY IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY 2008

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1948 – Frank Bennett’s Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) CUTTERS were beaten 32-6 by the MAROONS of Ridgewood in independent action. Ridgewood led the Annual Classic 4-1 (.800). Fair Lawn’s first victory had been 7-6 in 1947. The MAROONS would join the B-PIL in 1950.

1958 – Bennett’s CUTTERS held the heavily favored MAROONS to a scoreless tie in the last season for both teams in the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) The B-PIL had become the NBIL in 1956 and Fair Lawn and Ridgewood would move up to the strong Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) in 1959. Ridgewood led the series 9-5-1(.643).

1968 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS were beaten 21-14 by the MAROONS in NNJIL action. Ridgewood led the series 15-8-2 (.652).

1978 – New coach Pete Natale’s CUTTERS beat the MAROONS 17-7 in NNJIL action. Ridgewood led the series 23-10-2 (.697). They would take the 1944-83 rivalry 26-11-3 (.703).

1988 – New coach Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS were beaten 29-13 by the PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills in NBIL Division 1 action. Fair Lawn had left the NNJIL and returned to the NBIL in 1984. Our CUTTERS led the series 4-1 (.800). The 1984-93 Turkey Day rivalry wound up 5-5 (.500).

1998 – Alberque’s CUTTERS were edged 12-7 by the BEARS of Bergenfield in NBIL Division 1 action. Fair Lawn led the Turkey Day series, which began in 1994, 4-1 (.800). Going into Turkey Day 2008, Fair Lawn leads the 1945-48 and 1962-present rivalry 34-16 (.680) and the 1994-present Turkey Day rivalry 10-4 (.714). The teams have squared off 1945-48 in the B-PIL, 1962-83 in the NNJIL and since 1984 in the NBIL.