THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY – 2009 Week 4

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1949 – Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS were shutout 27-0 by the GOLDEN BEARS of Lyndhurst in Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) action. Those GOLDEN BEARS mauled the BEARS of Hawthorne 110-0 that season! Fair Lawn took the fierce 1945 – 53 rivalry with Lyndhurst 5-4 (.556). The B-PIL became the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) in 1956.

1959 – Bennett’s CUTTERS, shutout the RED RAIDERS of Cliffside Park 32-0 in Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) action. Our CUTTERS took the 1959-66 rivalry against the RED RAIDERS 6-2 (.750) before Cliffside Park left the NNJIL for the Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL) American Division.

1969 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS bushwhacked the HIGHWAYMEN of Teaneck 29-7 in NNJIL action. During 1954-58 independently and 1959-82 in the NNJIL our CUTTERS went 17-11-1 (.607) over the HIGHWAYMEN. Fair Lawn’s 20-6 victory in 2009, in North Jersey Tri-County Conference (NJTCC) Division C action, put our CUTTERS up 18-11-1 (.621) in the series.

1979 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS were stung 20-14 by the HORNETS of Passaic Valley in 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.

1989 – Mike Alberque’s NBIL Division 1 CUTTERS beat the MAROON RAIDERS of Englewood and the BCSL American Division 33-6 in independent action. Independently 1945-46, 1957-58 and 1986-89 and in the NNJIL 1959-71, our CUTTERS have gone 14-7 (.667) over the MAROON RAIDERS.

1999 – Alberque’s CUTTERS were beaten 30-13 by the HIGHLANDERS of Northern Highlands in NBIL interdivisional action. Fair Lawn leads the 1986-93 and 1998 – 2008 rivalry 10-9 (.526). Realignment has ended it for now.