THE GRIDIRON 14-2014

 

By Dick Engelhardt 

The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High and their fans, especially old timers, had plenty of rooting interests in State Playoff Finals action involving present or former foes. Let’s look at some of these games.

In North Jersey, Section 1, Group V, Fair Lawn’s Big North Conference (BNC) 5 time champion BULLDOGS of Passaic County Technical Institute were beaten 26 -14 by the MOUNTIES of Montclair. The BULLDOGS won sectional titles in 1998 and 2001. They are 5-0 (1.000) over our CUTTERS 2010-14. The loss closed out the BNC Liberty Division 2014 record against outside opposition at 11-19 (.367).  

In Group IV, the INDIANS of Pascack Valley beat the SPARTANS of Paramus 22-6. PV Coach Craig Nielsen was an assistant at Fair Lawn under Pete Natale 1980-85. He was the architect of the great Fair Lawn passing attack on the 1980 Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) tri-championship team (with Clifton and Passaic Valley) that beat Passaic in the States at GIANTS STADIUM and lost to Passaic Valley in the finals. Craig’s offense led the way again in 1984 as Fair Lawn took the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) Division 1 title in our first season back in the league and in 1985 when the NBIL Division 1 champs lost a 36-26 thriller to Passaic in the States. Nielsen was a star running back for the BEARS of Bergenfield in the ‘70s. Pascack Valley took the 1955-56, 1984-85 and 1988-2008 NBIL rivalry with Fair Lawn 14-10-1 (.583). During 1962-83 and 2010-11 in NNJIL and Big North Conference (BNC) action, the SPARTANS of Paramus went 14-10 (.583) against our CUTTERS.

In Group III, the GOLDEN HAWKS of River Dell were beaten 31-23 by the SPARTANS of Sparta, who defended their title. In 1958, brand new River Dell, with Bill Parcells at running back/QB, beat our CUTTERS 26-13 in the only game ever played between the schools before Fair Lawn left the NBIL for the NNJIL in 1959. Ironically River Dell leaving the NBIL in 1984 opened the door for Bergenfield, which had left the then Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) in 1949, Fair Lawn and Ramsey to come back in!

  

In Group II, the CARDINALS of Westwood beat the WARRIORS of Waldwick/Midland Park 21-7. During 1943-44 independently and 1984-85 in the NBIL, our CUTTERS went 3-1 (.750) against the CARDINALS. Westwood Coach Vito Campanile grew up in Fair Lawn and was an assistant coach here under Greg Tanzer along with Anthony and Nick. The Campanile family, headed by Mike, was huge in the Fair Lawn Football Association and at FLHS.

Next week we’ll wrap up 2014 with a look back at the season. Until then, GO CUTTERS GO!!!