Fair Lawn Gridders Have Work Cut Out For Them

Fair Lawn High School'a football team finds itself in flux this season. Again.

The Cutters are now in the newly formed Big North league–their third league change in less than five years–so the opponents have changed, and the going won't be any easier this time around. Fair Lawn's path includes perennial state powerhouse Bergen Catholic, which is on its schedule for the fifth week.

One consolation is that Fair Lawn is part of the Big North's Division 2, which includes Clifton, Passaic Tech, Kennedy, Eastside and Passaic High, which the Cutters routed 25-6 on opening day two weekends ago.

While Coach Stan Myles expressed his dissatisfaction for the league change, he admitted their former opponents in the North Bergen Interscholastic League –where Fair Lawn played for quite a few seasons–posed an equal threat.

"Those teams were tough too," Myles said. "Every season is tough."

The Cutters, who are now 1-1 after a loss Thursday night to Demarest, graduated only eight players from last season's team, which went 7-4 and reached the semifinal of the Group 4 North 1 playoffs before falling to eventual state sectional winner Roxbury.

This season's mission is to continue that playoff run.

Myles was reluctant after the team's last outing to make any predictions about what awaits the Cutters. They face a formidable Passaic Tech team next time out. Game time is 7 p.m. Friday on the road.

Credit is due junior running back Jimmy Hegybeli and senior RB Kelvin Rosario, who rushed for a pair of touchdowns apiece, negating Passaic Highs early lead in the opening-day win.

Other players to keep an eye on are senior tackle Adam Polisi, who was first team All North Jersey Tri County Conference last season and sophomore quarterback Kevin Osback.

But, Myles added, "We have a lot of work to do."