THE GRIDIRON 7 - 2009

By Dick Engelhardt

The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High downed the SOARING EAGLES of Union City 42-14 last Friday night in North Jersey Tri-County Conference (NJTCC) crossover action at the new Union City High School and Roosevelt Stadium complex, virtually assuring themselves a spot in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group IV playoffs. Captains Egor Buharin, Regis Larkin and James Mallon won the coin toss and Fair Lawn received. Behind center Larkin, guards Max Jacobs and Matt Paisley and tackles Adam Polisi and Steve Sherlock, running backs Buharin, James Hegybeli, Kelvin Rosario and Christian Samra ran through the SOARING EAGLES’ defense. Then Kevin Benjamin’s fumble recovery led to Hegybeli’s 15 yard TD run and our CUTTERS led 6-0. The SOARING EAGLES roared back to take a 7-6 lead. However, Davon Johnson electrified the crowd on the kickoff with an 87 yard return to put Fair Lawn ahead 12-7 and our CUTTERS never looked back! Rosario rambled for a big 1st down and left the game with an injury. Hegybeli’s 18 yard TD run made it 18-7 and Buharin bulled in for the 2 point conversion to give Fair Lawn a 20-7 halftime lead.

In the 3rd quarter Kevin Guy’s fumble recovery led to a beautiful 54 yard TD pass from QB Travis Kubasta to Chris Soltys. Samra bulled in for the 2 point conversion and Fair Lawn led 28-7. The SOARING EAGLES came back to make it 28-14 but our CUTTERS put the game away. Kubasta uncorked a 21 yard TD strike to Soltys and Hegybeli’s 2 point conversion run made it 36-14. Our CUTTERS made a dramatic goal line stand led by Polisi and Sherlock and then Buharin raced over 85 yards to the 7. Hegybeli’s TD run closed out the scoring.

On “D” Anthony Tozzi made a huge 3rd down stop. James Mallon and Guy teamed up on a stop and Kubasta and Buharin made big plays. Johnson’s TD saving open field tackle on a kickoff return was a beauty to behold!

In Fair Lawn’s NJTCC Division 3 action, the PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills ambushed the HIGHWAYMEN of Teaneck 30-7 and the GREEN KNIGHTS of St. Joseph beat the HIGHLANDERS of West Milford 24-7. Fair Lawn’s crossover victory brought our NJTCC Division 3 record against outside teams to an astonishing 11-1 (.917)!

This Saturday at 1:00, our CUTTERS are home at SASSO FIELD against the RAMS of William L. Dickinson High School of Jersey City in NJTCC crossover action. Our heroes are 5-1 (.833) and have outscored the opposition 143-93 for an average 24-16 victory. Dickinson is 0-6 and has been outscored 219-52 for an average 37-9 loss. Looking for more power points in the Group IV playoff hunt, our CUTTERS figure to beat the North Jersey, Section II, Group IV RAMS. From here it looks like Fair Lawn 47 – Dickinson 8. GO CUTTERS GO!!!