TURKEY DAY IN FLHS HISTORY

 

Years Ending In 4

By Dick Engelhardt

1944 – Marty Fischbein’s brand new CUTTERS brand new CUTTERS began the Turkey Day tradition with a 19-0 victory over the TERRIERS of Holy Trinity of Westfield in 1943. Now they would begin a 40 year Annual Classic with a 27-0 loss at the hands of the MAROONS of Ridgewood. Both games were independent affairs. Our CUTTERS, under new coach Frank Bennett, would join the Bergen- Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) in 1945 and take the title in their 1st year!

1954 – Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS fell 20-6 to the MAROONS in B-PIL action. Ridgewood led the Annual Classic 7-4 (.636).

1964 – Ed Sheehy’s CUTTERS tied the MAROONS 6-6 in Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) action beginning a 19 year run at what is now SASSO FIELD. Ridgewood’s facilities were inferior then but are now better including Field Turf. The MAROONS led the Turkey Day rivalry 12-7-2 (.632).

1974 – Al Reinoso’s CUTTERS were beaten 24-15 by the MAROONS in NNJIL action. Ridgewood led the Turkey Day rivalry 20-9-2 (.690).      

1984 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS celebrated their return to the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL), which they had left in 1959, by beating the PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills 33-6 and taking the NBIL Division title. Their championship repeated their inaugural season 1945 title in the B-PIL, which was renamed the NBIL in 1956.

1994 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS began a 15 season Turkey Day rivalry with the BEARS of Bergenfield with a 39-20 victory in NBIL Division 1 action.

2004 – Greg Tanzer’s CUTTERS edged the BEARS 19-18 in NBIL Division 1 action. Fair Lawn took the overall 1945-48 and 1962-2008 series 35-16 (.686) and the 1994-2008 Thanksgiving rivalry 11-4 (.733). State mandated realignment ended the 51 season series that remains the longest in Fair Lawn or Bergenfield football history. 

    

Fair Lawn’s 1943-2008 Thanksgiving Day games ended as more and more Thanksgiving Games were dropped because of realignment and the preference given playoff games. Our CUTTERS went 28-35-3 (.444) on Turkey Day in those 66 seasons.