THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY – 2012 Week 2

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 – 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 were shutout 7-0 by the BEARS of Hawthorne who would take the title. Independently in 1944 and in the B-PIL 1945-55, our CUTTERS went 9-3 (.750) over the BEARS. When Hawthorne, then the only Passaic County school in the league, left in ’56, the league was renamed the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL).

1962 – Coach Ed Sheehy’s CUTTERS shutout the BULLDOGS of Rutherford 27-0 in Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) action. During 1959 – 63 in the NNJIL, our CUTTERS went 3-2 (.600) over the BULLDOGS. Rutherford left for the Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL) American Division in ’64.

1972 – Al Reinoso’s CUTTERS were beaten 25-7 by the FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High. During 1972-74 independently, 1975-81 in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) and 2010-11 in the Big North Conference (BNC) Liberty Division, Clifton has gone 9-3-1 (.750) over Fair Lawn, including a State playoff victory in 1979. Last year our CUTTERS shocked the FIGHTING MUSTANGS 13-12 denying them a playoff spot.

1982 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS were edged 13-8 by the HIGHWAYMEN of Teaneck in 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.

1992 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS were scalped 12-9 by the INDIANS of Pascack Valley in NBIL action. Pascack Valley took the 1955-56, 1984-85 and 1988-2008 NBIL rivalry 14-10-1 (.583).

2002 – Alberque’s CUTTERS lost a 47-43 shootout at the hands of the GOLDEN KNIGHTS of Northern Valley/Old Tappan in NBIL Division 1 action. Our CUTTERS took the 1984–2008 NBIL rivalry against the GOLDEN KNIGHTS 15–10 (.600).