Gridiron:
The 2004 Season
By
Dick Engelhardt
The CUTTERS of Fair Lawn High began the
season with great hopes. However, opening against powerhouses Ramapo,
Wayne Hills and Northern Valley/Demarest, they found themselves 0-3 and
outscored 128-11. The bright spot was a beautiful 85-yard TD pass from QB
Greg Kubasta to Vinnie Graff in the Wayne Hills game but Kubasta, a real
warrior, would be knocked out for the season in the NV/Demarest game and
Graff would take over.
The GREEN RAIDERS of Ramapo lead the 1955-56
and 1984-present rivalry with Fair Lawn 14-10 (.583). The PATRIOTS
of Wayne Hills lead the 1984-present Fair Lawn rivalry 16-5 (.762). The
1984-93 Turkey Day rivalry wound up 5-5 (.500). Our CUTTERS lead
the 1956-58 and 1990-present rivalry with the NORSEMEN of
NV/Demarest 12-6 (.667). At Northern Highlands, where Joe Hausmann, the
popular former Fair Lawn announcer, is the “Voice Of The HIGHLANDERS,”
our CUTTERS were down 21-0 but showed their “never-say-die”
spirit as Graff raced 25-yards for a TD and Luke Frey, with Stephen
Macchairola holding, kicked the extra point. Behind captain Marc
Quintavalle at center, Joe Keating and Tim Schofield at guard and Juan
Parada and Justin Schwarz at tackle, Kyle Williams ran for a TD and Frey
kicked the extra point in a heart breaking 21-14 loss. Fair Lawn leads the
1986-93 and 1998-present rivalry 8-7 (.533).
After a “Bye,” our CUTTERS were in a shootout against the GOLDEN
KNIGHTS of Northern Valley/Old Tappan. Graff threw a 65-yard TD pass
to Frey and then ran for a 2- point conversion after Williams galloped 10
yards for another. Graff’s TD run and another 2- point conversion run
still had Fair Lawn losing a 44-22 thriller. Fair Lawn leads the
1984-present rivalry 14-7 (.667). Then our CUTTERS faced the RAMS
of Ramsey and lost 33-7. Incredibly Fair Lawn leads the 1945-58,
1984-99 and 2002-present rivalry 27-6 (.818)!
The INDIANS of Pascack Valley, coached by former Fair Lawn
assistant coach (1980-85) Craig Nielsen, scalped our CUTTERS 31-6.
Graff’s TD pass to Mike Keating averted a shutout. The 1955-56, 1984-85
and 1988-present rivalry is all even at 10-10-1 (.500). Then the BRAVES
of Indian Hills shut our CUTTERS out 21-0. This was the 74th
shutout loss (the 73rd being 41-0 by Ramapo in the opener) in
the 62 year GRIDIRON history of Fair Lawn High. Our CUTTERS have
shut the opposition out 81 times!
Then came the
State “Consolation Game” against the BUCCANEERS of Belleville.
Down 10-0 our CUTTERS roared back to win a thriller. Coach Greg
Tanzer unveiled a new “power” formation with Brian Sharples and Scott
Leatham in the backfield blocking, reminiscent of Coach Frank Bennett’s
1945-60 “single wing.” Dan Kissane and Dan Schwartz replaced Sharples
on the “O-Line.” Williams bulled his way for a TD and Frey, with
Macchairola holding, kicked the extra point to make the score 10-7. Dan
Cannici recovered the fumbled kick off and Graff ran 15 yards for the TD
on a QB keeper. Frey’s kick put Fair Lawn ahead 14-10. With :56
on the clock, Brian Paisley intercepted a pass and the win was sealed. It
was a great team effort with every player working for one thing – Fair
Lawn’s 1st victory!
Thanksgiving
Day featured the 47th meeting between Fair Lawn and
Bergenfield. The CUTTERS closed out their 62nd season of
GRIDIRON action with a thrilling come-from-behind 19-18 victory
over the BEARS in Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL)
Division 1 action. In the 2nd quarter QB Vinnie Graff raced 24 yards
around the left for a TD behind crunching blocks by Tim Schofield and
Justin Schwarz. With Macchairola holding, Frey kicked the extra point and
Fair Lawn led 7-0. Then the BEARS got 3 TDs and led 18-7 in the 4th
quarter. Our “never-say-die” CUTTERS roared back as Kyle
Williams bulled in for a TD to make it 18-13. Star receiver Dan Cannici
had been injured making a TD saving tackle and our CUTTERS overcame
adversity mounting a heart stopping drive. With 4 seconds on the clock,
Graff threw 16 yards to Macchairola in the corner of the end zone and Fair
Lawn fans were delirious with joy! In 1978 Graff’s uncle, Richie, threw
a 25 yard TD pass to Steve Jubelt to beat the MAROONS of Ridgewood
15-7 on Turkey Day as time expired. Screams of “He caught it! He caught
it!” were heard then and now, 26 years later, Richie’s nephew teamed
up with Macchairola to do it again! Tom Spear recovered the squib kick and
it was over. The “O-Line” was fabulous all day. Joe Keating, Schwarz,
Schofield, Quintavalle and Sharples made holes for Graff and Williams.
Quintavalle blocked a BEARS’ extra point kick, Graff and Leatham
stuffed a 2-point conversion try, and Josh Aviles, Mike Keating and
Williams made terrific hits. Graff. Who threw for 192 yards and rushed for
127, was named “Player Of The Week” by THE RECORD.
Our CUTTERS finished 2-8 (.200) overall, 1-4
(.200) in the NBIL Division 1, 0-4 (.000) in interdivisional action
and 1-0 (1.000) in independent action (the Belleville game). Their record
for this decade (2000-2004) is 25-25 (.500). And their total record
1943-2004 is 291-252-14 (.536). All-NBIL Division 1 honors went to
Captain Marc Quintavalle at center (He was the unanimous choice) and Juan
Parada at linebacker. Vinnie Graff made 2nd team at defensive
back, Tim Schofield on the offensive line and Brian Sharples on the
defensive line. Honorable mention was given Captain Dan Cannici at safety
and Kyle Williams at outside linebacker.
With Graff leading a host of returnees next season, our CUTTERS
could be strong. I can hardly wait. Until then, GO CUTTERS GO!!!
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THE
BEST 10 FAIR LAWN HIGH GRIDIRON TEAMS
After seeing the football information in the Fair Lawn News web
site, graduate Joe Toronto asked me to give my opinion as to the
10 best teams since Fair Lawn High school opened in 1943. Here
they are. I hope reading my list brings back wonderful memories
for Fair Lawn fans of all ages as compiling it did for me.
1. 1980 Pete Natale's CUTTERS went
9-2 (.818) and shared NNJIL crown with Clifton
and Passaic Valley. They won a 27-18 thriller in GIANTS
STADIUM before losing 20-0 to Passaic Valley in finals.
2 1965 Frank Devens' CUTTERS
went 8-0-1 (1.000) and took the NNJIL title.
Their 12-12 tie with Hackensack was the only thing between
them and a perfect season.
3. 1966 Devens' CUTTERS went
8-1 (.889) and took the NNJIL title. The
wonderful Bruce Jankowski years come to an end and the 24-game
non-losing streak (including a 6-6 tie with Ridgewood in '64
and that Hackensack tie in '65) was broken when Ridgewood
upset Fair Lawn in a 40-34 shootout on Thanksgiving.
4. 1953 Frank Bennett's CUTTERS
went 7-1 (.875) and took the then Bergen-Passaic
Interscholastic League (B-PIL) title. The B-PIL
became the NBIL in 1956. They
shared the North Jersey, Section 1, Group III title with the COMETS
of Hackensack. The team featured Dave Sime, then the
"World's Fastest Human," who went on to be an
ophthalmologist in Florida (serving the Miami Dolphins). His
daughter is married to former NY GIANTS and Denver BRONCOS
receiver Ed McCaffery. Dave was recently inducted into the New
Jersey Sports Hall Of Fame.
5. 1985 Natale's CUTTERS went
9-1 (.900) and took the NBIL Division 1 title.
They lost a 36-26 thriller to Passaic in the States.
6.
1987 Natale’s
CUTTERS
went
9-1 (.900) and took the NBIL
Division 1 title. They lost a 12-6 heartbreaker playoff game
against the BEES of
Bayonne in gale force winds.
7. 1955 Bennett's CUTTERS,
with myself and my twin brother, Bill, as managers (or "water
boys") went 7-1 (.875) and took the B-PIL title.
8. 1947 Bennett's CUTTERS
went 8-1 (.889) and shared the B-PIL title with
the GOLDEN BEARS of Lyndhurst. Their 7-6
Thanksgiving Day victory over the MAROONS of
Ridgewood was the first in the 1944-83 rivalry, which Ridgewood
took 26-11-3 (.703).
9. 1989 Mike Alberque's CUTTERS went
8-3 (.727) and took the NBIL Division 1 title.
They lost a heart breaking 19-14 game against the RED
WINGS of Hoboken in the States after beating the BRUINS
of North Bergen 14-7 in the first round.
10. 1946 Bennett's CUTTERS went 6-3 (.667)
and shared the B-PIL title with the BUCCANEERS
of Bogota.
There were other fine teams as well. I think of new coach Pete
Natale's 1978 CUTTERS turning the program around and going
6-3 (.667). They beat Ridgewood 15-7 on Thanksgiving on that
25-yard Richie Graff to Steve Jubelt TD pass as time expired,
ending an 8-year Turkey Day losing streak. Natale’s ‘79 CUTTERS
went 7-1-1 (.875) and shut Clifton out 21-0 during
the season before losing 30-0 to the FIGHTING
MUSTANGS in the States. Then there is Frank
Bennett's 1959 team that nearly took the NNJIL
title in Fair Lawn's first year in the "big league." The
6-0 loss to the TIGERS of Tenafly in a hurricane
and 12-7 to Ridgewood on Thanksgiving ruined this and
Hackensack, though beaten 27-6 by Fair Lawn, took the title by
half a game. Bennett began his 1945-60 coaching career at Fair
Lawn taking our CUTTERS to a 4-3-2 (.571) record and the B-PIL
title in his first year. Mike Alberque's 1988 CUTTERS
made the States losing 20-6 to the KNIGHTS of
JFK High of Paterson. His 2000 team made the States and gave
nationally ranked Hackensack a battle before losing 14-6. Ed
Sheehy’s 1964 CUTTERS lost their first 2 games and then
went 6-0-1 (1.000) beginning that 24 game non-losing streak of
1964-66. The CUTTERS have certainly had their share of
glory!
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Dick
Engelhardt in the announcer's booth this Fall at Fair Lawn's Sasso
Field.
