THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY Week 1 Yrs End In 5

By Dick Engelhardt

Fair Lawn High School opened September 13th, 1943. This record covers years ending in 5.

1945 – New coach Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS joined the Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) with a 12-0 victory over the GOLDEN BEARS of Lyndhurst. Fair Lawn took the fierce 1945 – 53 B-PIL rivalry with Lyndhurst 5-4 (.556). The B-PIL became the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) in 1956.

1955 – Bennett’s CUTTERS were edged 12-7 by the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) HIGHWAYMEN of Teaneck in independent action. During 1954-58 independently and 1959-82 in the NNJIL our CUTTERS went 17-11-1 (.607) over the HIGHWAYMEN. Fair Lawn’s 20-6 victory in 2009 in North Jersey Tri-County Conference (NJTCC) Division 3 action put our CUTTERS up 18-11-1 (.621) in the series.

1965 – Frank Devens took over the reins following the death of Coach Ed Sheehy and his CUTTERS beat the CRUSADERS of East Paterson 28-7 for their first victory in the series. During 1962-65 the tough CRUSADERS went 3-1 (.750) over our CUTTERS. Fair Lawn would go 8-0-1 (1.000) and take the NNJIL title. East Paterson became Elmwood Park in 1972. 

1975 – New Coach Rich Szura’s CUTTERS were beaten 22-0 by the COMETS of Hackensack in NNJIL action. During 1959-82 in the NNJIL the COMETS went 16-7-1 (.696) over our CUTTERS. In 1959, Fair Lawn’s maiden season in the league, our CUTTERS won 27-6 and yet saw Hackensack take the title by half a game. Frank Bennett’s 1953 B-PIL champs shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III State title with the COMETS. Mike Alberque’s 2000 CUTTERS put up a whale of a battle before losing 14-6 to the nationally ranked COMETS in the States. The 5-0 Hackensack record in Big North Conference (BNC) crossover action in 2010 – 14 has the COMETS’ record against our CUTTERS 28-7-1 (.800).

1985 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS returned to their old NBIL with a 14-10 interdivisional win over the COWBOYS of Pascack Hills. During 1984-86 and 1994-98 our CUTTERS went 6-2 (.750) over the COWBOYS. In NBIL interdivisional action. 

1995 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS beat the NORSEMEN of Northern Valley, Demarest 40-21 in NBIL Division 1 action. Our CUTTERS took the 1956-58 and 1990- 2008 NBIL rivalry 13-9 (.591). The NORSEMEN went 2-0 in 2010 and 11 Big North Conference (BNC) crossover action. Fair Lawn leads the rivalry 13-11 (.552).   

2005 – Greg Tanzer’s CUTTERS were shutout 38-0 by the GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo in NBIL Division 1 action. The GREEN RAIDERS took the 1956-58 and 1984-2008 NBIL Division 1 rivalry 17-11 (.607).