THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY – 2011 Week 8

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

1951 – Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS beat the BUCCANEERS of Bogota 20-7 in Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) action. - Fair Lawn and Bogota shared the 1946 B-PIL title and our CUTTERS took the 1945-55 rivalry 6-3-2 (.667).

1961 – New coach Ed Sheehy’s CUTTERS ambushed the HIGHWAYMEN of Teaneck 39-6 in Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (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 3 action put our CUTTERS up 18-11-1 (.621) in the series.

1971 – Frank Devens CUTTERS were stung 33-16 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.

1981 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS shut out the BEARS of Bergenfield 7-0 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. The 51 season rivalry was the longest in either school’s history.

1991 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS beat the HIGHLANDERS of Northern Highlands 26-12 in Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) action. Fair Lawn took the 1986-93 and 1998 – 2008 rivalry 10-9 (.526).

2001 – Alberque’s CUTTERS scalped the INDIANS of Pascack Valley 27-12 in NBIL inter- divisional action. - Pascack Valley took the 1955-56, 1984-85 and 1988-2008 rivalry 14-10-1 (.583).