THIS WEEK IN FLHS GRIDIRON HISTORY - Game 8 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 tied the BUCCANEERS of Bogota 13-13 on their way to the Bergen-Passaic Interscholastic League (B-PIL) title in his first season and Fair Lawn’s first season in the league after playing an independent schedule 1943-44 under Coach Marty Fischbein. Fair Lawn and Bogota shared the 1946 B-PIL title and our CUTTERS took the 1945-55 rivalry with the BUCCANEERS 6-3-2 (.667).

1955 – Bennett’s CUTTERS beat those same BUCCANEERS of Bogota 14-6 on their way to another B-PIL title in the last season before the league became the Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) in 1956.

1965 – Frank Devens’ CUTTERS beat the SPARTANS of Paramus 13-6 on their way to a Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) title and an undefeated season with one tie. During 1962-83 in NNJIL action, the SPARTANS went 12-10 (.545) over our CUTTERS. It was a great rivalry that ended when Fair Lawn returned to the NBIL in 1984. It resumed in 2010-11 in Big North Conference (BNC) crossover action where the SPARTANS went 2-0 (1.000) and lead the series 14-10 (.583). 

1975 – Rich Szura’s CUTTERS edged the BEARS of Bergenfield 19-12 in NNJIL 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.  

1985 – Pete Natale’s CUTTERS beat the RAMS of Ramsey 19-13 on their way to an NBIL Division 1 title. Fair Lawn took the 1945-58, 1984-99 and 2002-06 rivalry against the RAMS by an astounding 28 games to 7 (.800) in B-PIL and NBIL action!

1995 – Mike Alberque’s CUTTERS beat the COWBOYS of Pascack Hills 45-8 in NBIL crossover action. During 1984-86 and 1994-98 our CUTTERS went 6-2 (.750) over the COWBOYS. In NBIL interdivisional action.

2005 – Greg Tanzer’s CUTTERS were beaten 25-7 by the INDIANS of Pascack Valley in NBIL action. Pascack Valley took the 1955-56, 1984-85 and 1988-2008 B-PIL and NBIL rivalry 14-10-1 (.583). The INDIANS’ coach, Craig Nielsen, was offensive coordinator at Fair Lawn under Pete Natale 1980-85.