THE GRIDIRON 14–2011

By Dick Engelhardt

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) introduced the playoff system in 1974. Prior to that, teams were declared State Champions in the various sections based on records and power points. Often there was lots of discussion about the choice, especially if the teams didn’t play each other. Frank Bennett’s 1953 Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) champion CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High shared the North Jersey Section 1, Group III State Championship with Tom Della Torre’s Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) champion COMETS of Hackensack. That Fair Lawn team featured Dave Sime, who also starred in track and would later become known as “The World’s Fastest Human!”

Fair Lawn fans, young and old, had lots of rooting interests in the playoff finals at MetLife Stadium. In Group I heard the game on WGHT 1500AM, (ghtradio.com) as the CARDINALS of Pompton Lakes shut out the PANTHERS of Glen Rock 20-0. Jon Fass and Pete Gilmartin, who had broadcast the Fair Lawn – NV/Demarest game this year, did the honors. I imagine Glen Rock fans aren’t too happy that their PANTHERS blew away their Thanksgiving game against the BEARS of Hawthorne saving their starters for the playoffs and getting shut out 34-0. Pompton Lakes took its Turkey Day game seriously and beat the BULLDOGS of Butler 15-7. Fair Lawn fans remember the rivalry between Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS and Charlie Benson’s Cardinals. It began with a 14-6 Pompton Lakes victory over new Coach Bennett’s B-PIL champion CUTTERS in 1945 and ended in 1950 with a 25-0 shutout Pompton Lakes win. Fair Lawn and Pompton Lakes each won 3 games. Before Glen Rock High School opened, Glen Rock students attended Ridgewood High. So did students from the Radburn section of Fair Lawn before FLHS opened in 1943. The fierce Fair Lawn – Ridgewood 1944-83 Turkey Day rivalry wound up 26-11-3 (.703) Ridgewood.

In Group II at MetLife Stadium, I saw the GOLDEN HAWKS of River Dell fall 32-14 to the KNIGHTS of West Essex. In 1958, with Bill Parcells lugging the pig skin, the GOLDEN HAWKS beat Fair Lawn 26-13 in Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) action.

In Group III at the stadium, I saw the PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills come from behind to edge the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley/Old Tappan 15-12. Fair Lawn took the 1984–2008 NBIL rivalry with NVOT 15–10 (.600). The PATRIOTS took the 1984-2008 NBIL and 2009 North Jersey Tri-County Conference (NJTCC) rivalry with Fair Lawn 20-5 (.800). The 1984-93 Thanksgiving Day rivalry wound up 5-5 (.500). I imagine GOLDEN KNIGHTS fans weren’t too happy that their team also blew off its Thanksgiving game, saving its starters for the playoffs and being smashed 59-14 by NV/Demarest.

In Group IV, in the most poignant game at the stadium, I saw the BRUINS of North Bergen dismount the MOUNTIES of Montclair 14-13 with a miracle 22 yard TD pass as time expired. Coach Vin Ascolese finished a 50 season coaching career at Hoboken and North Bergen with the most dramatic victory you could imagine! Shades of 2004 when our CUTTERS beat the BEARS of Bergenfield 19-18 on Thanksgiving. With 4 seconds on the clock, QB Vinnie Graff threw 16 yards to Stephen Macchairola in the corner of the end zone and Fair Lawn fans were delirious with joy! In 1978 Graff’s uncle, Richie, threw a 25 yard TD pass to Steve Jubelt to beat the MAROONS of Ridgewood 15-7 on Turkey Day as time expired. Screams of “He caught it! He caught it!” were heard then and, 26 years later, the nephew teamed up with Macchairola to do it again! Fair Lawn fans remember 1989 when Mike Alberque’s NBIL Division 1 champion CUTTERS surprised Ascolese’s BRUINS 14-7 in the opening round of the playoffs.

Next week we’ll wrap up the 2011 season. Until then, GO CUTTERS GO!!!