THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY – 2009 Week 3

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1949 – Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS went outside their Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) to shutout Bloomfield Tech 13-0. The ’52 CUTTERS would shutout Tech 53-0 ending the rivalry at 2-0 Fair Lawn

1959 – Bennett’s CUTTERS, made a statement in their maiden season in the tough Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) beating the heavily favored COMETS of Hackensack 27-6. - During 1959-82 in the NNJIL action, the COMETS went 16-7-1 (.696) over our CUTTERS. Bennett’s 1953 B-PIL champs shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III State title with the COMETS. Mike Alberque’s 2000 CUTTERS put up a whale of a battle before losing 14-6 to the nationally ranked COMETS in the States.

1969 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS shutout the INDIANS of Wayne Valley 6-0 in NNJIL action. During 1967-80 the INDIANS went 9-5 (.643) over our CUTTERS in the NNJIL. In 1967 the INDIANS were just Wayne High School but became Wayne Valley in ’69 when Wayne Hills opened. They left the NNJIL for the Northern Hills Conference (NHC) Skyline Division in 1981 and Fair Lawn left the NNJIL to return to the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) in 1984.

1979 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS shutout those COMETS of Hackensack 33-0 in NNJIL action.

1989 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS edged the BEARS of Bergenfield 20-18 in NBIL Division 1 action. Fair Lawn leads the 1945-48 and 1962-2008 rivalry 35-16 (.686) and the 1994-2008 Turkey Day rivalry 11-4 (.733). The teams have squared off 1945-48 in the B-PIL, 1962-83 in the NNJIL and since 1984 in the NBIL. Realignment has ended the rivalry, at least for now.

1999 – Alberque’s CUTTERS mauled the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley, Old Tappan 39-12in NBIL Division 1 action. Fair Lawn leads the 1984 – 2008 rivalry 15–10 (.600). Realignment has ended the rivalry, at least for now.