A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By Dick Engelhardt

Fair Lawn High School opened September 13th, 1943. This 2012 history covers the years ending in “2.”

1952 – Frank Bennett’s Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) CUTTERS played a scoreless tie against the WILDCATS of East Rutherford, now Becton Regional. Of the old Passaic Valley Conference (PVC). In independent action 1950-53 the WILDCATS went 2-1-1 (.667) against our CUTTERS.

1962 – Coach Ed Sheehy’s CUTTERS were beaten 14-6 by the COMETS of Hackensack in Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) action. During 1959-82 in the NNJIL the COMETS went 16-7-1 (.696) over our CUTTERS. In 1959, Fair Lawn’s maiden season in the league, our CUTTERS won 27-6 and yet saw Hackensack take the title by half a game. Frank Bennett’s 1953 B-PIL champs shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III State title with the COMETS. Mike Alberque’s 2000 CUTTERS put up a whale of a battle before losing 14-6 to the nationally ranked COMETS in the States. The 3-0 Hackensack lead in Big North Conference (BNC) crossover action in 2010 – 12 has the COMETS’ record against our CUTTERS to 20-7-1 (.741).

1972 – Al Reinoso’s CUTTERS beat the BOILERMAKERS of Garfield 26-8 in NNJIL action. During 1971-75 Fair Lawn went 5-0 (1.000) over Garfield in the NNJIL. The record went to 6–0 (1.000) in 2005 when Greg Tanzer’s CUTTERS trounced the BOILERMAKERS 47–7 in a State Consolation game.

1982 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS edged the SPARTANS of Paramus 6-2 in an NNJIL thriller. During 1962-83 in the NNJIL, the SPARTANS went 12-10 (.545) over our CUTTERS. It was a great rivalry that ended when Fair Lawn returned to the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) in 1984. It resumed in 2010 in Big North Conference (BNC) crossover action where the SPARTANS are 2-0 (1.000) and lead the series 14-10(.583).

1992 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS were scalped 14-7 by the BRAVES of Indian Hills in NBIL interdivisional action. Our CUTTERS took the 1984-97 and 2000-2008 NBIL rivalry against the BRAVES 13-10 (.565).

2002 – Alberque’s CUTTERS beat the RAMS of Ramsey 33-20 in NBIL interdivisional action. Fair Lawn took the 1945-58, 1984-99 and 2002-06 rivalry against the RAMS by an astounding 28 games to 7 (.800) in B-PIL and Northern Bergen Interscholastic League NBIL action!