That week was busy. Tuesday November 20, 6 of classmates put the Class of 1973 in the books of Ridgewood lore by painting the Fair Lawn water tower that evening. Wednesday night November 21 brought the last big bonfire on Steven's Field for the Class of 1973 and a night Brian Tobin would like to forget as Fair Lawn came to Ridgewood looking for revenge. Then came Thursday November 22 - Class of 1973 - the last Thanksgiving game - but a big one for a lot of reasons.
With the Fair Lawn water tower looming large and with RHS #1 emblazoned for the town to see - we went on to beat the Cutters that day in a battle - beating them 9-7.
Below are photos from that game and a rundown of how the game went down courtesy of John Westcott!
The 31 photos were all taken by Dave Burdick's dad and rather than caption them I'll let them speak for themselves. Thanks for letting me use them Dave!
FAIR LAWN, NJ - “This is a selfless team; everyone is pulling for everyone else and everyone is giving 100 percent. The coaches and players hit it off right from the start.” This was how senior quarterback Jeff Lockhart described Ridgewood High’s football team when accepting the Jack Stroker Award last Sunday from the Ridgewood Junior Football Association. Jeff didn’t start Thanksgiving Day but came on in the fourth quarter and engineered a 46-yard time-consuming drive that helped clinch Ridgewood’s 9-7 victory over Fair Lawn in the 30th annual feud. The victory gave Ridgewood the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League title with a 7-1 record, the best in Coach Roger Sweeney’s 14 years at the helm. An independent game with Englewood was cancelled this season and the Maroons suffered a one-point loss to Hackensack on their flooded field one rainy Saturday.
FIRST TITLE - It was the first NNJIL crown for the Maroons since they returned to the NNJIL in 1959. Although they won a state title in 1960 with a 7-2 slate, Englewood took the NNJIL title. The Maroon team of 1970 duplicated the 7-2 mark two years after Sweeney’s best, 7-1-1, when a 3-0 loss to Bergenfield cost Ridgewood an undefeated season. His teams have now beaten Fair Lawn eight times, the last three in succession, while losing four and tying one in its last 13 games. The Maroons have taken an 18-9 lead in the series. Two games have ended in ties. “This is a good team in many ways,” said an overjoyed Coach Sweeney, just before it was his turn to be dunked in the shower by the jubilant players. “It’s been a good team in many ways. The boys didn’t need prodding. They knew what they had to do. The most important thing is that they played as a team all the way. They never let down. Even in losing to Hackensack they gave it their all and played extremely well. Just wasn’t our day with Mother Nature.” They played well again on Fair Lawn’s frozen field that brought out a variety of football gear among the players. The contest was pure entertainment for nearly 10,000 spectators who watched in the bright sun and crisp winterish air. It had everything from Fair Lawn’s multi offensive formations, including a “shotgun,” to three interceptions, as many blocked punts and six fumbles, all recovered by the team that coughed up the ball.
DEFENSE SHINES - Ridgewood kept Fair Lawn “alive” by not being able to score from in close on three occasions and put the game away. The defensive units set up all the scoring. The third quarter wasn’t yet three minutes old when Steve Molyneaux, who had sacked the quarterback for an 11-yard loss to force the punt, blocked the kick. Craig Hopewell recovered on the Fair Lawn 13. Paul Adamo made the entire yardage on one try around right end behind the lead blocking of guard John Wescott and halfback Paul Albus. Bob Groat booted the PAT. These are about the only yards that Albus didn’t get as he ran 17 times for 108 yards of Ridgewood’s 150-yard total. The Maroons blew two opportunities in the third period. Paul Mayer picked off a screen pass and returned it 19 yards to the Fair Lawn 14. But the Maroons failed on four attempts and the drive stalled on the 6 yard line of the Cutters. The Cutter offense provided the next break when it tried a razzle-dazzle end around reverse off punt formation in its own end zone. Lee Wienerman, the end for the Cutters, was finally brought down at the Fair Lawn 4-yard line after fooling no one. But the Maroons, who nullified their fine offensive efforts with 100 yards in penalties, took a five yarder here and never got the ball across the goal line as they were stopped at the one-yard line. But that led to the safety on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Cutters trying to go from their one-yard line were thwarted by Molyneaux and Pete Miles who tackled Tony Marshall in the end zone.
ANOTHER CHANCE - Harry Garbarini, Fair Lawn’s defensive standout, gave the Cutters an opportunity when he blocked the punt and the ball was recovered on the Ridgewood 25. But the Cutters, who were held to minus 35 yards rushing in the second half, couldn’t cash in. Miles sacked quarterback Barry Milazzo for a nine-yard loss, and the Maroons began the time-killing drive at their 18. But Gary Santana smothered Mike Kayes’ punt when the Maroons drive stalled at the Fair Lawn 37 and Milazzo, aided by a 15-yard face mask penalty, passed the Cutters 65 yards to a score. The key gainer was a 31-yard third-and-long strike to Bob Boylan. With the ball on the Ridgewood 24, Milazzo threw a 17 yard strike to Barry Dougan. Milazzo then found Boylan for a seven-yard scoring pass. Dave Cosgrove added the extra point with 26 seconds remaining in the game.
For Fair Lawn, after 1971's record of 6 and 3, they not have a winning season again until 1978 when they went 6-3. In 1972 - the year we won the NNJIL tile - Fair Lawn went 3-5-1.
Interesting side note thanks to the water tower crew - the tower would remain with RHS #1 for several years after we graduated. Fair Lawn's records from 1973-1976 were: 2-7, 2-6-1, 4-5 and 0-9 respectively.
Click any photo to enlarge it.
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