THE GRIDIRON 13–2011

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

There was lots of playoff and Thanksgiving Day action of interest to Fair Lawn fans. Let’s look at some of it. I took in a “Consolation” game in Bergenfield and saw the BEARS ambush the HIGHWAYMEN of Teaneck 31-22. I hoped to visit with my friend, Bergenfield announcer Howie Conklin, but he was away. During 1954-58 independently, 1959-82 in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) and 2009 in the North Jersey Tri-County Conference (NJTCC) Division 3 action our CUTTERS went 18-11-1 (.621) over the HIGHWAYMEN. During 1945-48 in the old Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL), 1962-83 in the NNJIL and 1984-2008 in the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL), our Cutters went 35-16 (.686) over Bergenfield. In Thanksgiving Day action 1994-2008, Fair Lawn went 11-4 (.733) over the BEARS. The 51 season rivalry remains the longest in either school’s history! Until the 1960s the BEARS were called the MIGHTY MITES because their 1st team in 1940 was so small!

In a North Jersey, Section I, Group I “battle of the birds,” I saw the CARDINALS of Pompton Lakes shoot down the FALCONS of Saddle Brook in a 17-14 thriller. The game was broadcast by WGHT Radio (1500 AM) which also broadcast the Fair Lawn – Northern Valley/Demarest game this year. I enjoyed chatting with on-the-air personalities Jon Fass and Pete Gilmartin again. I’ve mentioned that Fair Lawn broke off from Saddle River Township in 1924 and the Township changed its name to Saddle Brook in 1955. Old time Fair Lawn fans remember the fierce 1945-50 rivalry between legendary Fair Lawn Coach Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS and legendary Pompton Lakes Coach Charlie Benson’s CARDINALS. The Pompton Lakes announcer remembered Coach Benson! Each team won 3 games. Benson later became AD at Clifton High. The CARDINALS face the PANTHERS of Glen Rock in the finals.

In Group II I saw the GOLDEN HAWKS of River Dell shutout the Rams of RAMSEY 20-0. In 1958 Fair Lawn and River Dell played each other for the only time ever in the NBIL and, with Bill Parcells at running back, the GOLDEN HAWKS beat our CUTTERS 26-13. Fair Lawn took the 1945-58 B-PIL, and 1984-99 and 2002-06 NBIL rivalry against Ramsey by an astounding 28-7 (.800)! The GOLDEN HAWKS face the KNIGHTS of West Essex in the finals.

In Group III action, the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley/Old Tappan surprised the INDIANS of Pascack Valley 34-10. Fair Lawn and PV squared off in the B-PIL 1955-56 and in the NBIL 1984-85 and 1988-2008. Pascack Valley took the rivalry 14-10-1 (.583). PV Coach Craig Nielsen was an assistant in Fair Lawn 1980-85 under Pete Natale. Fair Lawn took the 1984–2008 NBIL rivalry against NV/Old Tappan 15–10 (.600).

In Fair Lawn’s Group IV, the BRUINS of North Bergen edged the SOARING EAGLES of Union City 10-7 in overtime. Coach Vin Ascolese will end a 50 season coaching career against the MOUNTIES of Montclair in the finals. In 1989 our CUTTERS surprised the Bruins 14-7 in the playoffs. Fair Lawn is 1-1 (.500) against North Bergen. In ’09 our CUTTERS beat the SOARING EAGLES 42-14.

Fair Lawn’s Big North Conference (BNC) Liberty Division closed out its season on Thanksgiving Day. I was privileged to be the “spotter” at Clifton School Stadium where I saw the FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High win a 55-29 shootout over the INDIANS of Passaic. In the other BNC Liberty Division game, the GHOSTS of Paterson Eastside edged the KNIGHTS of JFK 17-12 in the 86th renewal of the annual classic. Next week we’ll look at playoff finals from a Fair Lawn point of view. Until then, GO CUTTERS GO!!!