THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY – Week 2 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, on the way to the championship in their maiden season in the Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL), went outside the league and were shut out 6-0 by the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) MAROON RAIDERS of Englewood. In independent action 1945-46, 1957-58 and 1986-89 and in the NNJIL 1959-71, our CUTTERS have gone 14-7 (.667) over the MAROON RAIDERS.

1955 – Bennett’s CUTTERS, on their way to their final B-PIL title, shut out the BEARS of Hawthorne 33-0 in league action. Independently in 1944 and in the B-PIL 1945-55, our CUTTERS went 9-3 (.750) over the BEARS. When Hawthorne, then the only Passaic County school in the league, left in ’56, the league was renamed the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL).

1965 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS tied the COMETS of Hackensack 12-12 in NNJIL action on their way to the league title. It was game 9 of that wonderful 24 game non losing streak 1964-66. 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).

1975 – Rich Zura’s CUTTERS were shut out 34-0 by the HORNETS of PassaicValley in NNJIL action. During 1944-46 and 1966 independently and 1967- 81 and 83 in the NNJIL the HORNETS went 13-6-2 (.684) over our CUTTERS.

1985 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS, on their way to their second NBIL Division 1 title and first ever undefeated and untied season, shut out the GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo Regional 21-0. The GREEN RAIDERS took the 1956-58 and 1984-2008 Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) Division 1 rivalry 17-11 (.607).

1995 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS edged the BRAVES of Indian Hills 22-21 in NBIL interdivisional action.   Our CUTTERS took the 1984-97 and 2000-2008 Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) rivalry against the BRAVES 13-10 (.565). Indian Hills’ 45-8 win in Big North Conference (BNC) crossover action in 2014 closed Fair Lawn’s series lead to 13-11 (.542). 

2005 – Greg Tanzer’s CUTTERS were shutout 48-0 by the PATRIOTS of Wayne Hills in NBIL Division 1 action. The PATRIOTS took the 1984-2008 NBIL and 2009 North Jersey Tri-County Conference (NJTCC) rivalry 20-5 (.800). Fair Lawn’s last victory was in 1989 when Mike Alberque’s NBIL Division 1 champion and playoff bound CUTTERS thrashed Wayne Hills 35-8.