THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY – 2010 Week 3

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1950 - Frank Bennett’s Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) CUTTERS were shutout 26-0 by the Passaic Valley Conference (PVC) WILDCATS of East Rutherford, now Becton Dickinson. During 1950-53 the WILDCATS went 2-1-1 (.667) against our CUTTERS.

1960 – Bennett’s CUTTERS continued what would be their 1st winless season being shutout 31-0 by the COMETS of Hackensack in Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) action. During 1959-82 in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) the COMETS went 16-7-1 (.696) over our CUTTERS. In 1959, Fair Lawn’s maiden season in the league, our CUTTERS won 27-6 and yet saw Hackensack take the title by half a game. Frank 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

1970 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS were scalped 35-0 by the INDIANS of Wayne Valley in NNJIL action. During 1967-80 the INDIANS went 9-5 (.643) over our CUTTERS in Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) action. 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.

1980 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS edged the BEARS of Bergenfield 20-12 in NNJIL action. Fair Lawn took the 1945-48 and 1962-2008 rivalry 35-16 (.686) and the 1994-2008 Turkey Day rivalry 11-4 (.733). The teams squared off 1945-48 in the B-PIL, 1962-83 in the NNJIL and 1984-2008 in the NBIL. State realignment has ended the 51 season rivalry.

1990 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS were edged 26-21 by those BEARS of Bergenfield in NBIL Division 1 action.

2000 – Alberque’s CUTTERS beat the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley, Old Tappan 34-15 in NBIL Division 1 action. Fair Lawn took the 1984 – 2008 rivalry 15–10 (.600).