THE GRIDIRON 15–2011

By Dick Engelhardt

Amir Saadah became the 11th coach in FLHS Gridiron history following Marty Fischbein 1943-44, Frank Bennett 1945-60, Ed Sheehy 1961-64, Frank Devens 1965-71, Al Reinoso 1972-74, Rich Szura 1975-77, Pete Natale 1978-87, Mike Alberque 1988-2001, Greg Tanzer 2002-06 and Stan Myles 2007-10. After good scrimmages including a 33-0 shutout of the BLUE BEARS of Barringer High of Newark, our CUTTERS had high hopes for a successful season. A harbinger of things to come, however, was the loss of star player Dan Prigge for the season to a concussion in that Barringer scrimmage. Star running back Corey Carlson was sidelined a good part of the season by appendicitis. Our heroes faced the INDIANS of Passaic to begin their Big North Conference (BNC) Liberty Division title quest. The 46-14 Passaic victory at BOVERINI STADIUM was a shock. Fair Lawn would face its 1956-58 and 1990- 2008 Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) and 2010 BNC Crossover foe, the NORSEMEN of Northern Valley/Demarest, at SASSO FIELD next. Fair Lawn led the rivalry 13-10 (.565) and our CUTTERS and their fans hoped for a victory. The 48-10 loss to the NORSEMEN was a first class stunner! John Fass and Pete Gilmartin broadcasted the game on WGHT Radio (1500 AM) ghtradio.com.

Next, our CUTTERS went up against the BULLDOGS of Passaic County Technical Institute and fell 49-9 to the eventual BNC Liberty Division repeat champs who would go 5-0 in Division play. Then came the COMETS of Hackensack, who administered a 41-0 shutout in BNC crossover action. Hackensack coach Mike Miello retired at the end of the season. One piece of his career he once told me he doesn’t like to remember was losing all 4 games to Fair Lawn coach Pete Natale 1984-87 when he coached the GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo!

The CRUSADERS of Bergen Catholic would have been next but they asked if they could play the KNIGHTS of Friendship Collegiate Academy of Washington, D.C. instead and Fair Lawn said, “Go right ahead!” The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) may exempt Bergen Catholic and Don Bosco from the requirement to play 70% of their games against New Jersey teams so public schools won’t be forced to play these parochial behemoths. If that fails, these powerhouses could be put into their own league. A good start would be adding the GREEN WAVE of Delbarton, the MARAUDERS of St. Peter’s Prep and the PIRATES of Seton Hall Prep to the BNC United Division. With 8 teams, this would be a super parochial conference and its teams could fill out their schedules with 2 games against out of State powerhouses and NJ teams willing to play them.

If anyone told me Fair Lawn would win only 1 game this year and that would be against the FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High, I would have told them they were crazy! That’s exactly what happened as our CUTTERS edged Clifton 13-12 in a thriller. I was privileged to be the “spotter” at 5 Clifton games and to announce the Clifton High School MUSTANG Marching Band, the “Show Band of the Northeast,” at 4 games, including that Fair Lawn game! Losses to the SPARTANS of Paramus, the GHOSTS of Paterson Eastside and the KNIGHTS of Paterson Kennedy followed. In State Consolation action, the PANTHERS of Bridewater-Raritan beat our CUTTERS 41-12 closing out the season. Fair Lawn is 7-4 (.636) in Consolation Game action since these games began in 1998.

Our CUTTERS finished the season 1-8 (.111) bringing their 1943-2011 record to 315-298-14 (.514). The BNC Liberty Division final standings were: Passaic County Technical Institute 5-0 (1.000), Clifton and Eastside 3-2 (.600), Kennedy 2-3 (.400) and Fair Lawn and Passaic 1-4 (.200).

At this writing Fair Lawn players have received a number of honors. Boris Lifshits and Kevin Osback made 1st Team All-BNC Liberty Division and George Alexandris, Kris Burger and Steve Tatekawa made 2nd Team. Honorable mention was given Kevin Benjamin and John Pagios. Lifshits, Nick Hickey and Osback received honorable mention All-Bergen County!

The Eastside game, the last regularly scheduled home game, 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: Benjamin, Andy Chorlian, Hickey, Lifshits, Prigge and Tatekawa and their escorts. The return of a number of players next season and freshmen moving up could see our CUTTERS improve. Until then, GO CUTTERS GO!!!