THE GRIDIRON 7 - 2015

 

By Dick Engelhardt 

Last Saturday the CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High lost 43-6 to the BULLDOGS of Passaic County Technical Institute in Big North Conference (BNC) Liberty Division action. Captains Dominick Barbarulo, Tyler Johnson, Mike Laboy and Bradley Ramirez went out for the coin toss and Fair Lawn received. The BULLDOGS kept the Fair Lawn offense bottled up and built a 36-0 lead. Our “never-say-die” CUTTERS fought back just before the half when the speedy Johnson electrified the crowd running a kickoff back 85 yards for a TD!
In the 2nd half, the BULLDOGS scored again and, by rule, the clock ran continuously except for time outs, injuries and scores. QB Damian Rongo uncorked a bomb to Johnson who got to the 10. The drive ended at the PCTI 4 after runs by Dylan Alvarez and Krystian Mjias. Nice plays on “D” were made by Alex D’Angelo, Tarron Douglas, Robert Figueroa, Jonathan Fochesato, Matt Forte, Johnson, Tyler Pollock, Ramirez, Marc Terwilliger, Larry Tobe and others. Ryan Rue did a fantastic job booming punts with one pinning the Bulldogs down at the 7.     

The BULLDOGS are undefeated and have won the BNC Liberty Division title every year since the league was established in 2010. They face the IRONMEN of Don Bosco Friday night and Liberty Division fans will be rooting for them.

The award winning Fair Lawn High School Cutter Marching Band under the direction of Jamie Szeinberg, was fabulous. After its show, fans were treated to great performances by the JV Cheerleaders, coached by Melissa Maneri followed by the Varsity Cheerleaders, coached by Melissa McInerney, combined with the Dance Team, coached by Jen Bell, assisted by former New York Jets Flight Crew Cheerleader and San Diego Chargers Charger Girls Cheerleader “Christie.”   

Fair Lawn’s BNC Liberty Division lost its only game against outside opposition. It was “Lights Out” literally for the FIGHTING MUSTANGS of Clifton High, who were beaten 30-14 by the MAROONS of Ridgewood. Most of the lights at Ridgewood’s field went out in the 3rd quarter causing a delay. The BNC Liberty Division is 6-4 (.600) against outside opposition so far. The GHOSTS of Paterson Eastside had a Bye.

This Friday at 7:00 our CUTTERS will travel to Hackensack to take on the COMETS for 31st time. During 1959-82 in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL), the COMETS went 16-7-1 (.696) over our CUTTERS. In 1959, Fair Lawn’s maiden season in the league, Fair Lawn won 27-6 and yet saw Hackensack take the title by half a game. Frank Bennett’s 1953 Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) champs shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III 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 2010–14 BNC crossover action has the COMETS’ record against our CUTTERS 22-7-1 (.759). Fair Lawn is 1-5 (.167) and has been outscored 190-80 for an average 32-13 loss. The Comets, who had a Bye last week, are 2-2 (.500) and have outscored their opponents 120-57 for an average 30-14 win. Hackensack is aiming for the Group V Playoffs. Our injury depleted Cutters will go all out to pull off an upset. Sounds like a plan to me. From here it looks like Fair Lawn 14 – Hackensack 13. GO CUTTERS GO!!!