THE GRIDIRON 9-2014

 

By Dick Engelhardt 

The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn beat the INDIANS of Passaic 39-7 last week at SASSO FIELD in Big North Conference (BNC) crossover action. Captains Dan Morganstein, Dillon Rinaldo and Deshawn Roberts went out for the coin toss and Passaic received. Tyler Pollack recovered a fumble and Roberts raced 52 yards for a TD and our heroes never looked back! Morganstein recovered the surprise onside kick and Tyler Johnson picked up a first down and then scampered 16 yards for a TD off a block by Sefa Basci. The INDIANS scored to make it 12-7 but QB Gal Harari threw a bomb to Johnson who raced to the 5. Roberts’ TD run and Johnson’s 2 point conversion run had our CUTTERS up 20-7 at the half. 

In the second half Anthony Messina recovered a fumble and Roberts ran to the 1 and Harari scored on a plunge behind center Matt Forte. Fair Lawn led 26-7. Harari threw a picture pass to Johnson for a 33 yard TD and our heroes led 32-7. Morganstein’s 8 yard TD run and Dan Kutuzov’s extra point kick with Damien Rongo holding closed out the scoring. The 39 points equaled those in Fair Lawn’s 39-38 playoff victory over Passaic in 2009 which remains the most thrilling game ever played in Fair Lawn’s now 72 seasons on THE GRIDIRON! The win brought Fair Lawn’s record against Passaic to 5-3 (.625). It was nice to see former Fair Lawn assistant coach Doug Lemberg, now on the Passaic staff.

This last regularly scheduled home game, was poignant as seniors soon to end their participation in the football program were honored and introduced with their escorts. We said goodbye and wished the best to: Joseph Compolo, Kutuzov, Messina, Morganstein, Matt Phillips, Frank Ortoll, Dillon Rinaldo, Roberts and Jake Schwartz. Senior cheerleaders honored were: Amanda Cacciatiore, Nicole Drummond, Rachel Fladung, Angela Marx, Brittany Meerholz, Rachel Nicholas, Rachel Pollack, Stephanie Shapiro and Rachel Somick. Led by their energetic coach, Melissa McInerney, they’ve been great all year! It was nice to see former Cheerleader Coach Lauren Gimon in the stands cheering the cheerleaders on! Fair Lawn fans remember renowned Fair Lawn QB Carl Straw throwing TD passes to “Meerholz and Davies” on that 1985 Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) Division 1 champion and playoff team that lost 36-26 to Passaic in the States!

Fair Lawn’s BNC Liberty Division went 2-2 (.500 against outside opposition, In addition to Fair Lawn’s win, the defending champion BULLDOGS of Passaic County Technical Institute beat the MAROONS of Ridgewood 19-13 earning a home playoff spot. The winless FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High were beaten 35-12 by the BEARS of Bergenfield, who earned a playoff spot. The GHOSTS of Paterson Eastside were walloped 56-6 by the IRONMEN of Don Bosco in yet another travesty in the public – non public school saga. The BNC record against outside foes is 6-12 (.333) so far.

This Friday at 1:00 our CUTTERS travel to BAUERLE FIELD in Paterson to take on the KNIGHTS of John F. Kennedy High. Paterson Central was the Turkey Day rival of the GHOSTS of Paterson Eastside and most Fair Lawn students attended Eastside before FLHS opened in 1943. During 1951-56 and 58 Fair Lawn went 5-2 (.714) over Central. In 1988 the successor KNIGHTS of JFK beat our CUTTERS 20-6 in the States while, in the 2003 State “Consolation Game,” our CUTTERS prevailed 20-0. During 1951-56 independently, in the playoffs in 1988, in a Consolation game in 2003, in the North Jersey Tri-County Conference (NJTCC) in 2009 and in BNC crossover action 2010-13, Fair Lawn has gone to 8-6 (.571) over Central/Kennedy.

Kennedy comes into the game 3-4 (.429) having outscored the opposition 140-120 for an average 20-17 win. Fair Lawn is 2-6 (.250) and has been outscored 248-111 for an average 31-14 loss. With an all out effort, I think our heroes can win this one. From here it looks like Fair Lawn 20–JFK 14. GO CUTTERS GO!!