THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY – Week 4 Yrs Ending In 5

By Dick Engelhardt

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

1945 – Frank Bennett’s CUTTERS shutout the MIGHTY MITES, now BEARS of Bergenfield 32-0 in Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) action. Fair Lawn took the 1945-48 and 1962-2008 rivalry 35-16 (.686) and the 1994-2008 Turkey Day rivalry 11-4 (.733). The teams squared off 1945-48 in the B-PIL, 1962-83 in the NNJIL and 1984-2008 in the NBIL. State realignment has ended the 51 season rivalry, which remains the longest in either school’s history. Our CUTTERS took the B-PIL title in their first year in the league!

1955 – Bennett’s CUTTERS beat the brand new INDIANS of Pascack Valley Regional High of Hillsdale 37-7 in the last season for the B-PIL, which would become the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) in 1956. Our CUTTERS would take the ’55 title. Pascack Valley took the 1955-56, 1984-85 and 1988-2008 B-PIL/NBIL rivalry 14-10-1 (.583).

1965 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS, on their way to the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) title, shutout the RED RAIDERS of Cliffside Park 26-0. Our CUTTERS took the 1959-66 rivalry against the RED RAIDERS 6-2 (.750).

  

1975 – Rich Szura’s CUTTERS beat the BOILERMAKERS of Garfield 16-6 in NNJIL action. During 1971-75 Fair Lawn went 5-0 (1.000) over Garfield in the NNJIL. The record went to 6–0 (1.000) in 2005 when Greg Tanzer’s CUTTERS trounced the BOILERMAKERS 47–7 in a State Consolation game.  

1985 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS, on their way to an NBIL Division 1 title and the playoffs, beat the CARDINALS of Westwood 34-6 in NBIL crossover action. During 1943-44 independently and 1984-85 in the NBIL, our CUTTERS went 3-1 (.750) against the CARDINALS.

1995 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS were edged 28-21 by those INDIANS of Pascack Valley in NBIL action.

2005 – Greg Tanzer’s CUTTERS were edged 25-20 by the HIGHLANDERS of Northern Highlands in NBIL action. Fair Lawn took the 1986-93 and 1998–2008 NBIL rivalry against the HIGHLANDERS 10-9 (.526).