THE GRIDIRON 3-2014

 

By Dick Engelhardt 

The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High ran into a juggernaut in the MAROONS of Ridgewood last week at SASSO FIELD in Big North Conference (BNC) crossover action losing 46-6. Captains Dan Morganstein, Dillon Rinaldo and Deshawn Roberts went out for the coin toss and Ridgewood received. Our heroes came out firing as a Ridgewood player batted Dan Kutuzov’s kickoff in the air and Mark Terwilleger alertly picked it off. A big run by Morganstein was nullified by a penalty and the Fair Lawn drive stalled. The talented and deep MAROONS took over and scored 7 TDs. Showcasing his scholarship prospect QB, Ridgewood Coach Chuck Johnson, with his team ahead 26-0, called time out and passed for a TD as time expired at the half. He did put subs in late in the game and had them take a knee after the last TD instead of going for the extra point.

Our “never say die” CUTTERS fought valiantly. Tyler Johnson ran a kickoff to the 41. Morganstein and Johnson picked up 1^st downs and Alex D’Angelo ran 4 yards for a TD to avert a shutout. Roberts and Tyler Pollock ran the ball well too and defensive plays were made by a host of CUTTERS including Dominick Barbarulo, Anthony Messina, Frank Ortoll, Matt Phillips and Max White. Sefa Basci covered a kickoff. The win brings Ridgewood’s 1944-83 and 2012-14 record against Fair Lawn to 29-11-3 (.725). 

The fans were treated to a fantastic halftime! The award winning Fair Lawn High School CUTTER Marching Band and Color Guard, directed by Jamie Szeinberg, put on its show “Return of The King.” Then the varsity cheerleaders, coached by Melissa McInerny, and the JV cheerleaders, coached by Melissa Maneri, and the Fair Lawn High Dance Team, coached by Jen Bell, put on a great performance. 

In BNC Liberty Division action the GHOSTS of Paterson Eastside edged the FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High 14-8. The BNC Liberty Division went 1-1 (.500) against outside opposition. While Fair Lawn lost, the defending champion BULLDOGS of Passaic County Technical Institute walloped the INDIANS of Passaic 49-7.

This Saturday at 1:00 our CUTTERS take on the BRAVES of Indian Hills at SASSO FIELD in the Hall of Fame game at which I will introduce the 2014 Fair Lawn High School Athletic Hall of Fame inductees at halftime. Our CUTTERS took the 1984-97 and 2000-2008 Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) rivalry against the BRAVES 13-10 (.565). Indian Hills has not had a winning season since 2003 and has not finished .500 since 2007. The Braves come into the game at 1-1 (500) having outscored the opposition 56-29 for an average 28-15 win. That is bolstered by their 41-0 thrashing of the weak TIGERS of Jersey City’s Snyder High. Fair Lawn is also 1-1 and has been outscored 46-28 for an average 23-14 loss. Our heroes can put the loss behind them and come back against the BRAVES. From here it looks like Fair Lawn 20 – Indian Hills 14. GO CUTTERS GO!!!