THE GRIDIRON

FAIR LAWN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACHES
By Dick Engelhardt

With the resignation of Coach Stan Miles to spend more time with his young family, I thought it would be fun to look at the 10 Head Football Coaches at Fair Lawn High since the school opened September 13th, 1943:

1943-44 Martin “Marty” Fischbein 9-4-2 (.692). Marty’s brand new team went 2-1 (.697) in JV action to get started and then posted 4-1-1 (.800) and 5-3-1 (.625) records in those 1st 2 seasons. After some players cut class before the Leonia JV game, he kept those “cutters” out of the game for the 1st half. With Fair Lawn trailing 12-0, he put the miscreants in for the 2nd half and they won the game 13-12. “The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High” were born! Marty and those original CUTTERS were inducted into the FLHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.

1945-60 Frank Bennett 71-55-6 (.564). Frank’s CUTTERS won Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) titles outright in 1945, 53 and 55 and shared the ’46 title with the BUCCANEERS of Bogota and the ’47 title with the GOLDEN BEARS of Lyndhurst. He was NY Daily News “Coach of the Year in ’47. His ’53 CUTTERS shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III title with the COMETS of Hackensack. Bennett was one of the original inductees into the FLHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

1961-64 Ed Sheehy 19-15-1 (.559). Ed’s short career was ended when he died from Cancer at a young age. In his final season, 1964, his CUTTERS went 6-2-1 (.750) and notched the 1st 7 games of the fabulous 24 game non-losing streak 1964-66.

1965-71 Frank Devens 39-23-1 (.629). Frank’s CUTTERS notched the final 16 games of “The Streak” that ended on Thanksgiving Day 1966 before 13,000 fans at what is now SASSO FIELD as the MAROONS of Ridgewood upset our CUTTERS 40-34. His 1965 team went 8-0-1 (1.000) and remains the only Fair Lawn team to date that batted 1.000! His ’65 and ’66 CUTTERS were Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) champs. Frank was one of the original inductees into the FLHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

1972-74 Al Reinoso 7-18-2 (.280). Al played for the GRAY BEES of St. Benedict’s Prep of Newark who went 2-1-1 (.667) against Fair Lawn during 1954-57. He came to Fair Lawn from Abraham Clark High in Roselle in Union County where he coached the RAMS who’s Red and Gray colors match the Crimson and Gray of our CUTTERS.

1975-77 Rich Szura 6-21 (.222). Although Rich had a disappointing tenure as Head Football coach, this long time popular teacher was a successful head coach in Baseball, Girls Basketball and Boys and Girls Volleyball.

1978-87 Pete Natale 58-36-1 (.617). Pete came to Fair Lawn from Ridgefield Park where he had led the SCARLETS to numerous Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL) American Division and State titles. He remains the only coach to take the CUTTERS to 9 wins and he did it 3 times, in 1980, 85 and 87. His 1980 CUTTERS were tri-NNJIL champs with the FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High and the HORNETS of Passaic Valley. His 1984, 85 and 87 CUTTERS were Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) Division 1 champs and his CUTTERS made the playoffs in 1979, 1980, 1985 and 1987 going 1-4 (.200). The win was a thrilling come-from-behind 27-18 opening round 1980 victory over the INDIANS of Passaic at GIANTS STADIUM in 1980. That was the most exciting football game played to date in FLHS GRIDIRON history! Pete was inducted into the New Jersey Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1988 and the FLHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.

1988-2001 Mike Alberque 71-61-1 (.538). Mike’s CUTTERS took the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) Division 1 title in ’89. His CUTTERS made the playoffs in ’88, ’89 and ’00 going 1-3 (.250). The win was 14-7 over the BRUINS of North Bergen in ’89.

2002-06 Greg Tanzer 14-36 (.280) Although Coach Tanzer, the 1st FLHS grad to take the helm, did not lead the CUTTERS to a league title or the playoffs, his CUTTERS went 4-1 (.800) in State Consolation games.

2007-10 Stan Myles 20-21 (.488). Stan took the CUTTERS to the playoffs in ’09 going 1-1 (.500). His CUTTERS led the INDIANS of Passaic 32-6 at halftime in the ’09 playoffs 1st round and hung on to win a 39-38 thriller that replaced that 1980 GIANTS STADIUM game against Passaic as the most exciting in FLHS GRIDIRON history! Stan’s CUTTERS were 1-2 (.333) in State Consolation games. The win was 38-3 over the WILDCATS of High Point in 2007. Stan resigned after the 2010 season to spend more time with his young family.

2011 Amir Saadah, a 2000 Fair Lawn High graduate who played for Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS, 1997-99 has been hired as the 11th Head Football Coach in FLHS history. He comes to Fair Lawn from Hawthorne where he was an assistant coach on the BEARS team that reached the North Jersey, Section 1, Group I playoffs and lost 35-7 to the HERD of Mountain Lakes. The then LAKERS were the first varsity opponents of the brand new CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High in 1943 and our CUTTERS shut them out 13-0!

Total Fair Lawn High School Football Record 1943-2010: 314-290-14 (.520)

THE BEST 10 FAIR LAWN HIGH GRIDIRON TEAMS

By Dick Engelhardt

Fair Lawn High school opened in 1943.Here are Dick Engelhardt’s nominees for the best 10 GRIDIRON teams in FLHS history as of 2004, which was requested by recent grad Joe Toronto:

1. 1980 Pete Natale's CUTTERS went 9-2 (.818) and shared NNJIL crown with Clifton and Passaic Valley. They won a 27-18 thriller in GIANTS STADIUM before losing 20-0 to Passaic Valley in finals.

2 1965 Frank Devens' CUTTERS went 8-0-1 (1.000) and took the NNJIL title. Their 12-12 tie with Hackensack was the only thing between them and a perfect season.

3. 1966 Devens' CUTTERS went 8-1 (.889) and took the NNJIL title. The wonderful Bruce Jankowski years come to an end and the 24-game non-losing streak (including a 6-6 tie with Ridgewood in '64 and that Hackensack tie in '65) was broken when Ridgewood upset Fair Lawn in a 40-34 shootout on Thanksgiving.

4. 1953 Frank Bennett's CUTTERS went 7-1 (.875) and took the then Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) title. The B-PIL became the NBIL in 1956. They shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III title with the COMETS of Hackensack. The team featured Dave Sime, then the "World's Fastest Human," who went on to be an ophthalmologist in Florida (serving the Miami Dolphins). His daughter is married to former NY GIANTS and Denver BRONCOS receiver Ed McCaffery. Dave was just inducted into the New Jersey Sports Hall Of Fame.

5. 1985 Natale's CUTTERS went 9-1 (.900) and took the NBIL Division 1 title. They lost a 36-26 thriller to Passaic in the States.

6. 1987 Natale’s CUTTERS went 9-1 (.900) and took the NBIL Division 1 title. They lost a 12-6 heartbreaker playoff game against the BEES of Bayonne in gale force winds.

7. 1955 Bennett's CUTTERS, with myself and my twin brother, Bill, as managers (or "water boys") went 7-1 (.875) and took the B-PIL title.

8. 1947 Bennett's CUTTERS went 8-1 (.889) and shared the B-PIL title with the GOLDEN BEARS of Lyndhurst. Their 7-6 Thanksgiving Day victory over the MAROONS of Ridgewood was the first in the 1944-83 rivalry, which Ridgewood took 26-11-3 (.703).

9. 1989 Mike Alberque's CUTTERS went 8-3 (.727) and took the NBIL Division 1 title. They lost a heart breaking 19-14 game against the RED WINGS of Hoboken in the States after beating the BRUINS of North Bergen 14-7 in the first round.

10. 1946 Bennett's CUTTERS went 6-3 (.667) and shared the B-PIL title with the BUCCANEERS of Bogota.

There were other fine teams as well. I think of new coach Pete Natale's 1978 CUTTERS turning the program around and going 6-3 (.667). They beat Ridgewood 15-7 on Thanksgiving on a 25-yard Richie Graff to Steve Jubelt TD pass as time expired, ending an 8-year Turkey Day losing streak. Natale’s ‘79 CUTTERS went 7-1-1 (.875) and shut Clifton out 21-0 during the season before losing 30-0 to the FIGHTING MUSTANGS in the States. Then there is Frank Bennett's 1959 team that nearly took the NNJIL title in Fair Lawn's first year in the "big league." The 6-0 loss to the TIGERS of Tenafly in a hurricane and 12-7 to Ridgewood on Thanksgiving ruined this and Hackensack, though beaten 27-6 by Fair Lawn, took the title by half a game. Bennett began his 1945-60 coaching career at Fair Lawn taking our CUTTERS to a 4-3-2 (.571) record and the B-PIL title in his first year. Mike Alberque's 1988 CUTTERS made the States losing 20-6 to the KNIGHTS of JFK High of Paterson. His 2000 team made the States and gave nationally ranked Hackensack a battle before losing 14-6. Ed Sheehy’s 1964 CUTTERS lost their first 2 games and then went 6-0-1 (1.000) beginning that 24 game non-losing streak of 1964-66.

FAIR LAWN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2010

By Dick Engelhardt

Head Coach: Stan Myles
Assistant Coaches: James Beshaw, John DiGiorgio, Robert Gentile, Ryan Ramiccio and Ed Guy
Volunteer Coach: Joseph Brislin

Sat. 9/11 HOME Fair Lawn 25 Passaic* 6
Thur. 9/16 AWAY Fair Lawn 0 NV/Demarest 40
Fri. 9/24 AWAY Fair Lawn 14 Passaic County Tech* 34
Fri. 10/1 HOME Fair Lawn 6 Hackensack 12
Sat. 10/09 AWAY Fair Lawn 0 Bergen Catholic 37
Sat. 10/16 HOME Fair Lawn 0 Clifton* 21
Fri. 10/22 AWAY Fair Lawn 13 Paramus 42
Sat. 10/30 HOME Fair Lawn 40 Paterson Eastside* 16
Fri. 11/05 AWAY Fair Lawn 22 Paterson Kennedy* 20
Sat. 11/13 HOME Fair Lawn 22 Vernon** 41 142 269
* Big North Conference (BNC) Division II (Liberty) Game
** State Consolation Game (Vernon)
BNC Liberty Division Record: 3-2 (.600)
BNC Crossover Record: 0-4 (.000)
Independent Record: 0-1 (.000) Vernon Consolation Game
Overall Record: 3-7 (.300)

The 2010 season was a disappointing one for Coach Stan Myles’ CUTTERS. They started out #4 on the WGHT Radio http://www.ghtradio.com/ All-Area Top 10 list but soon were off it. Our CUTTERS received their share of honors. All BNC Division II (Liberty) 1st team offense: Kevin Guy (TE) & Adam Polisi (T). 2nd team: Max Jacobs (G), Kelvin Rosario (RB) & Sam Vovsi (WR). 1st Team Defense: Brendan Walis (LB). 2nd Team: Kevin Benjamin (L) & Anthony Tozzi (LB). Honorable Mention: James Hegybeli & Junior Roberts.

The last regularly scheduled home game against Eastside was poignant as seniors soon to end their participation in the football program were honored and introduced. We said goodbye and wished the best to: Alex Callons, James Choe, Kevin Guy, Kevin Flynn, Max Jacobs, Davon Johnson, Kyle McGowen, Matt Paisley, Matt Peligretto, Dave Pinuel, Adam Polisi, Junior Roberts, Kelvin Rosario, Tim Schrettner, Steven Sherlock, Eric Simeonoglu, Sertoc Tarcan, Anthony Tozzi, Bryan Turton, Sam Vovsi and Brendan Walis. However, our CUTTERS could be strong in 2011 with experienced players like Tyler Argott, Benjamin, Kris Burger, Corey Carlson, Andy Chorlian, Hegybeli, Kevin Osback, John Pagios, Dan Prigge, Dimetri Rodriguez, Rickey Rodriguez, Brandon Sibilio, Steven Tatekawa, Brandon Torrez, Mike Venezia, Jeff Welsh and Michael Williams back.