THE GRIDIRON 11-2012

By Dick Engelhardt

The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High lost a heart breaking 29-27 game to the GHOSTS of Paterson Eastside last Saturday at BAUERLE Field in Paterson in Big North Conference (BNC) Liberty Division action. The game went down to the last play! Captains George Alexandris, Kevin Osback, Franklyn Ramirez and Jeff Welsh went out for the coin toss. Eastside won and deferred. Fair Lawn’s first drive stalled but the defense held. Then Ramirez picked up yards behind center Kris Burger and Osback rambled for a 1st down at the 27 off blocks by Tylor Argot and Brian Centeno. Ramirez ran twice for 1st downs and Osback ran to the 1 and then plunged for the TD behind Burger putting our heroes ahead 6-0. With Welsh snapping and Pete Danko holding, Ari Moslavi’s extra point kick made it 7-0. Eastside scored to tie it Alexandris intercepted a pass and electrified the crowd running it back 70 yards for a TD off a great block by Dan Laboy to put our heroes up 13-7. The Ghosts scored a TD and a field goal to go ahead 17-13. As the half drew to a close Osback passed to Danko and Matt Ferry for 1st downs and to Alexandris to the 14. With 4 seconds left a field goal try went awry and the GHOSTS took the lead into halftime.

Our CUTTERS began the second half with an onside kick that the GHOSTS recovered. Our heroes held but the GHOSTS picked up a 1st down on a fake punt and scored to go ahead 23-13. Osback passed to Alexandris who scampered 60 yards for a TD to make it 23-20. After Eastside went ahead 29-20, Osback’s TD run made it 29-27. With 2:33 on the clock our heroes began their final drive at the Fair Lawn 33. With a 4th and 3 at the 40 and 1:41 on the clock, Osback threw to Alexandris for a 1st down. Another pass to Alexandris brought the ball to the 25. Then Osback threw to Thomas Koike who rambled to the 3. With 11 seconds on the clock, Fair Lawn eschewed a winning field goal try in favor of one more pass hoping for a TD. If it was incomplete there would still be time for that field goal. Alas, it was intercepted ending the thriller.

Great plays were made on defense. Argot and Burger teamed up on a terrific stop. Ramirez stopped a 3rd down run forcing a punt and broke up a screen pass forcing a punt. Scott Marcoux made a nice tackle, Brendan Sibilio made a TD saving tackle and Laine White made a great stop on a kickoff return. The 1947-54, 1983 and 2010-12 rivalry with Eastside is tied at 6-6 (.500).

The FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High had a bye. Fair Lawn’s BNC Liberty Division went 0-1 against outside opposition as its champion BULLDOGS of Passaic County Technical Institute were beaten 23-12 by the MAROONS of Ridgewood in crossover action. The BNC Liberty Division is on the short end of a shocking 6-16 (.273) record against outside foes so far in 2012.

This Saturday at 1:30 our CUTTERS will play a “Consolation Game” at SASSO FIELD against the MUSTANGS of Montville. In 2008 Stan Myle’s CUTTERS lost a 28-27 heart breaker to the MUSTANGS. Fair Lawn’s record in these games since they began in 1998 is 7-5 (.583). Our CUTTERS come into the game 1-8 (.111) with an average 31-11 loss and the MUSTANGS come into the game 3-6 (.667) with an average 28-14 loss. Our “never-say-die” CUTTERS will go all out to end their season with a victory! From here it looks like Fair Lawn 14 – Montville 13. GO GUTTERS GO!!!