THE GRIDIRON 6 – 2010

By Dick Engelhardt

In Big North Conference (BNC) crossover action last Saturday in Oradell, the CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High ran into the behemoth CRUSADERS of Bergen Catholic and the 49-7 thrashing was what can be expected whenever a public school is forced to play one of the parochial powerhouses that can recruit all-star players from all over the tri-State area. They run college or semi-pro like operations. And this didn’t have to be. Fair Lawn had lined up the SOARING EAGLES of Union City, who were willing to play them but, since they would then have to play the MARAUDERS of St. Peter’s Prep of Jersey City, the CRUSADERS refused to let Fair Lawn reschedule. Of course they should be playing teams like St. Peter’s! They should be in the Division with them.

Captains Bryan Turton and Kelvin Rosario went out for the coin toss which Bergen Catholic won and elected to receive. The CRUSADERS drove for 2 TDs and led 14-0 when Rosario electrified the crowd with a 70 yard TD gallop. With Alex Callons snapping and Brendan Walis holding, Danny Granja kicked the extra point and it was 14-7. The pass happy CRUSADERS led 42-7 at the half and their subs scored once more in the second half. In a valiant effort, Junior Roberts and Adam Polisi teamed up on a sack, Kevin Guy sacked the QB too and Steven Tatekawa made a TD saving tackle. Kevin Benjamin made a great stop and Anthony Tozzi and Tatekawa teamed up on a punt return stop. Corey Carlson teamed up with Guy on a stop and Davon Johnson made several sure tackles. Kevin Osback smartly eluded a sure tackle and got off a fabulous punt! Tozzi tipped a pass and Roberts picked it off. Dan Prigge started at QB and did a yeoman’s job but Joe Namath wouldn’t have had a chance in this game. The win brings Bergen Catholic’s 1981 and 82 and 2010 record against Fair Lawn to 3-0 (1.000) and the CRUSADERS have outscored our CUTTERS 129-7.

In crossover action Fair Lawn’s Big North Conference (BNC) Division II went 0-4 (.000) against outside teams. In addition to Fair Lawn’s loss, the FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High were beaten 35-14 by the MAROONS of Ridgewood, the INDIANS of Passaic were stung 7-0 by the HORNETS of Passaic Valley and, in the biggest parochial versus public school travesty of the day, the KNIGHTS of JFK of Paterson were drubbed 58-6 by the IRONMEN of Don Bosco. To his credit, Bosco Coach Greg Toal, a Fair Lawn assistant under Pete Natale 1978-81, has said he’d just as soon not be in a public school league and would rather be free to play teams that could give the Ironmen a challenge. In the only BNC Division II, game the KNIGHTS of Passaic County Technical Institute shutout the GHOSTS of Paterson Eastside 43-0. The BNC Division II is now 4-12 (250) against outside teams!

This Saturday at 1:00 our CUTTERS host the FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High at SASSO FIELD. During 1972-74 independently and 1975-81 in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) Clifton went 8-2-1 (.800) over Fair Lawn including a 30-0 State playoff victory in 1979. During the regular season, Natale’s CUTTERS had shocked the FIGHTING MUSTANGS 21-0! Fair Lawn comes into the game 1-4 (.200) having been outscored 141-52 for an average 28-10 loss. Clifton comes into the game 3-2 (.600) having outscored the opposition 123-81 for an average 25-16 win. Shaking off the Bergen Catholic loss, our CUTTERS have a real shot in this one. With an all out effort they can get back in the win column. From here it looks like Fair Lawn 21 - Clifton 13. GO CUTTERS GO!!!