Fair Lawn Outlasts Kearny in High-Scoring Battle

The Fair Lawn Cutters (5-3) defeated the Kearny Kardinals (2-6) in a high-scoring affair, 54-34, at Sasso Field (Fair Lawn High School) in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, marking the 2025 regular season home finale.

Fair Lawn's defense set the tone from the start, causing a fumble on a running play that led to defensive lineman Ali Abbas intercepting the ball in the air and carrying it to the Kearny 20-yard line.

On third down and long at the 17-yard line, Cutters running back Gabe Coban took the handoff and initially appeared stopped at the line of scrimmage. However, Coban miraculously found an open lane and scampered into the end zone for the touchdown. The extra-point kick was no good, leaving the score at 6-0 with nine minutes left in the first quarter.

With four minutes remaining, Fair Lawn's offense took over at the Kardinals' 40-yard line, skillfully mixing up their running and passing game to advance further into Kearny territory.

Facing a fourth down and goal at the Kardinals' four-yard line, quarterback Ariel Nachmias took the snap, rolled out to his left, and fired a pass to wide receiver Dean Elias, who caught the ball for a touchdown with four seconds left, extending Fair Lawn's lead to 13-0.

In the second quarter, Kearny, seeking momentum, attempted a fourth down conversion at their own 46-yard line. However, the Cutters' defense stood firm, stopping the running play short of the first down marker and forcing a turnover on downs.

Capitalizing on the short field, Fair Lawn's quarterback Ariel Nachmias connected with wide receiver Jack Feinstein on a 41-yard pass, boosting the score to 20-0 with less than eight minutes remaining in the half.

Kearny managed to gain some momentum on the ensuing kickoff return, with Ammar Khalifa bringing the ball back to midfield. The Kardinals' offense then pushed deeper into Cutters territory thanks to a 45-yard run by running back Miguel Betancourt.

On second down and goal at the 12-yard line, Diego Villatoro took the handoff and dashed into the end zone for Kearny's first touchdown, narrowing the gap to 20-7 with less than five minutes remaining in the half.

The Kardinals' moment of hope was short-lived, as Fair Lawn responded with a solid kickoff return followed by a personal foul assessed against Kearny that moved the ball into Kardinals territory.

On first and ten at the 29-yard line, quarterback Ariel Nachmias lofted a pass into the end zone where wide receiver Dean Elias made a spectacular catch for a touchdown, stretching the lead to 27-7 with four minutes left in the half.

The Cutters capped off an impressive first half with Nachmias throwing his third touchdown pass, a 30-yard strike down the center to Logan Wyka with 15 seconds left, ending the half at 34-7.

In the third quarter, Kearny running back Miguel Betancourt displayed his electrifying speed, ripping off an 80-yard run for a touchdown that trimmed the deficit to 34-14 with eight minutes remaining in the quarter.

Once again, Fair Lawn's offense quickly answered on their next possession, led by a potent running attack. Gabe Coban gained 26 yards on first and ten from the Cutters' 19-yard line, and then quarterback Ariel Nachmias sprinted down the left sideline to the Kardinals' eight-yard line for a 47-yard gain.

On first and goal, the Fair Lawn offense changed things up with offensive tackle Andrew Hupko lined up in the backfield. Hupko took the handoff and powered into the end zone for a touchdown, extending the Cutters' lead to 41-14 with less than seven minutes to go.

The back-and-forth action continued with Kearny running back Rahzir Cooper breaking free for a 71-yard touchdown, making the score 41-21.

Fair Lawn kickoff returner Dean Elias matched that play, as he caught the subsequent kickoff and accelerated down the left sideline for an 83-yard touchdown return, stretching the Cutters' lead to 47-21.

The scoring continued at a rapid pace on Kearny's next offensive possession. Running back Miguel Betancourt showcased his remarkable speed, dashing for a 71-yard touchdown for his second score of the game, closing the gap to 47-28 with less than six minutes left.

Kearny then attempted an onside kick, but Fair Lawn's special teams unit recovered. The Cutters' offensive line continued to excel, opening running lanes for Gabe Coban.

On first and ten at the Kearny 30-yard line, Logan Wyka burst through a wide gap and reached the Kardinals' one-yard line. Fair Lawn quarterback Ariel Nachmias finished the drive by muscling his way into the end zone for another touchdown, elevating the Cutters' lead to 54-27 with three minutes remaining in the game.

Kearny refused to give up as Rahzir Cooper scored his second touchdown of the game with a three-yard run early in the fourth quarter, bringing the score to 54-34. However, that would be the last points of the match, as Fair Lawn secured the victory.

The Cutters faced off against Pascack Hills (2-5) on Wednesday, October 29, at Pascack Hills High School, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. Meanwhile, the Kardinals played their final game of the 2025 season.