Toms River High School South

Toms River High School South
Address
55 Hyers Street Toms River, New Jersey , Ocean County , New Jersey 08753 United States
Coordinates	39°57′17″N74°11′50″W / 39.954646°N 74.19716°W / 39.954646; -74.19716
Information
Type	Public high school
Motto	Spirit, Tradition, Excellence and Pride
Established	1891
School district	Toms River Regional Schools
NCES School ID	341623004724 [1]
Principal	Kevin Raylman
Faculty	92.8 FTEs [1]
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1,359 (as of 2022–23) [1]
Student to teacher ratio	14.6:1 [1]
Color(s)	Maroon   white [2]
Athletics conference	Shore Conference [3]
Mascot	Indian, Indian Princess, Super Maroon, and Spirit
Team name	Indians [2]
Rival	Toms River High School North
Publication	The Chieftain
Website	www.trschools.com/hssouth/

Toms River High School South is a comprehensive four-year public high school, and was the first high school established in Toms River (formerly Dover Township) in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as part of the Toms River Regional Schools.

The school day starts at 7:15 AM ^[4] and lasts six hours and 20 minutes. ^[5] Toms River high schools have some of the earliest daily closing high schools in New Jersey, closing at 1:35 PM every day. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,359 students and 92.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.6:1. There were 302 students (22.2% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 71 (5.2% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch. ^[1]

The school colors are maroon and White. ^[2] The school has four mascots: Indian, Indian Princess, Super Maroon, and Spirit. ^[9] During the 2014–15 school year, the mascots were Indian XLVII, Princess XLVI, Super Maroon XXXVII, and Spirit XVI. The mascots appear at every football game of the High School South Indians, which also feature the longtime "Voice of the Indians", P. David Correll Jr., as public address announcer. ^[9]

History

The original Toms River High School graduated its first class in 1891 and the current building opened for students in 1951. ^[10] In 1969, when the high school was found to be too small, a second high school, Toms River High School North was opened ^[11] and South was appended onto the school's original name, and a third high school in the district, Toms River High School East, was opened in 1979. ^{[10] [9]}

Awards, recognition and rankings

For the 1993–94 school year, Toms River Alternate School - High School South was named as a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve. ^[12]

The school was the 230th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology. ^[13] The school had been ranked 229th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 269th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. ^[14] The magazine ranked the school 264th in 2008 out of 316 schools. ^[15]

Athletics

The Toms River High School South Indians ^[2] compete in Division A South of the Shore Conference, an athletic conference comprised of public and private high schools in Monmouth and Ocean counties along the Jersey Shore. ^{[3] [16]} The league operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). ^[17] With 1,024 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group III for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 761 to 1,058 students in that grade range. ^[18] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group IV South for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 890 to 1,298 students. ^[19]

The school participates in a joint ice hockey team with Toms River High School East as the host school / lead agency. The co-op program operates under agreements scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year. ^[20]

The field hockey team won the South Jersey Group IV state sectional championship in 1975 and 1984, and won the South Jersey Group III title in 1991. The 1975 team won the Group IV state championship with a 2–0 win against Westfield High School in the championship game to finish the season with a 16–0–1 record, the only game the team didn't win being a scoreless tie. ^{[21] [22] [23]}

The girls spring track team won the Group IV state championship in 1976 (as co-champion with Toms River High School North). ^[24]

The football team won the NJSIAA state sectional championships in 1978 in South Jersey Group IV, in both 1983 and 1991 in South Jersey Group III and won in South Jersey Group V in 2015. ^[25] The 1978 team defeated Cherry Hill High School East by a score of 16–6 to win the South Jersey Group IV state sectional championship. ^[26] After Eastern Regional High School came back with a late touchdown to tie the game at 14–14 in regulation, the 1983 team won the South Jersey Group III sectional title by a score of 17–14 with an overtime field goal. ^[27] In 2015, the team won the South Jersey Group V title with a 14–7 win against Williamstown High School in the tournament final. ^[28] Each year, students, parents, teachers, alumni and administrators gather for the annual Toms River High School North vs. Toms River High School South football game. The game is considered to be the biggest event of the year for students. The annual rivalry began in 1972. ^[29] In 2024, Toms River South lost by a score 41–0, the team's 24th loss in the previous 31 meetings of the schools, to bring the overall record to 26–26–1. ^{[30] [31]}

The boys' cross country team won the Group III state championship in 1980. ^[32]

The baseball team won the Group III state championship in 1990 (vs. Pascack Hills High School), 1994 (vs. Hoboken High School), 1998 (vs. Millburn High School), 2002 (vs. Ramapo High School) and 2003 (vs. Cranford High School); the program's five state championships are tied for tenth-most in the state. ^[33] With a three-run home run from Todd Frazier, the team won the Group III title by a score of 9–4 against Cranford in the championship game to finish the season with a 24–4 record. ^[34]

The boys track team won the winter / indoor Group III state title in 1995. ^[35]

The girls' soccer team won the Group III state championship in 2001 (against Ramapo High School in the finals) and 2002 (vs. Morris Knolls High School). ^[36]

In 2009, the boys' soccer team upset Toms River High School North with a 4–3 overtime win in the state semifinals and went on to win the Group IV state championship for the first time in program history, with a 1–0 victory over Clifton High School in the final game of the tournament to finish the season with an 18–5–2 record. ^{[37] [38] [39]}

The ice hockey team won the Public A state championship in 2010, won the McInnis Cup in 1996 and 1999, and won the Dowd Cup in 2020. ^[40] The team won the Public A state title in 2010, having come into the tournament as a 16th seed, which is the lowest seed to ever win the state championship, having knocked off the number one seed Morris Knolls High School in the first round, and beat the number 3 seed Randolph High School in the finals. ^[41]

The wrestling team won the South Jersey Group III state sectional championship in 2013. ^[42]

Toms River Regional Schools has denied requests to retire the Indian mascot as being racially insensitive, while supporters of the mascot claim that the "...team's identity is a tradition that honors and respects Native American people." ^[43]

Administration

The school's principal is Kevin Raylman. His administration team includes three assistant principals. ^[44]

Notable alumni

See also: Category:Toms River High School South alumni

• Corey Albano (born 1975, class of 1993), former professional basketball player ^[45]
• Don Browne (1943–2023), media executive who was president of Telemundo following a tenure at NBC News ^[46]
• Lew Elverson (1912–1997), college football player and coach, track and field coach, and college athletics administrator ^[47]
• Jeff Frazier (born 1982), former professional baseball outfielder who played for the Detroit Tigers ^[48]
• Todd Frazier (born 1986, class of 2004), third baseman who played for the New York Yankees and New York Mets ^[49]
• Julio M. Fuentes (born 1946, class of 1964), Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, who is the first Hispanic judge to serve the Third Circuit ^{[50] [51]}
• Heidi Hartmann (born 1945, class of 1963), feminist economist who is founder and president emerita of the Washington-based Institute for Women's Policy Research ^[52]
• Gary Jobson (born c. 1951, class of 1969), sailor, television commentator and author who is Editor at Large of Sailing World and Cruising World magazines and President of the National Sailing Hall of Fame ^[53]
• Gia Maione (1941–2013, class of 1959), singer and wife of singer Louis Prima ^[54]
• W. Steelman Mathis (1898–1981), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1941 to 1942 and 1947 to 1966 ^[55]
• Annette Meyers (born 1934, class of 1951), mystery writer ^[56]
• Christie Raleigh Crossley (born 1987), Paralympic swimmer who will represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Paralympics ^[57]
• Norton A. Schwartz (born 1951), retired United States Air Force general who served as the 19th Chief of Staff of the Air Force from August 12, 2008, until his retirement in 2012 ^[58]
• Noël Valis (born 1945), writer, scholar and translator who is a Professor of Spanish at Yale University ^[59]
• Albert W. Van Duzer (1917–1999, class of 1935), bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, serving from 1973 to 1982 ^[60]

References

1. School data for Toms River High School South, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
2. Toms River High School South, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
3. Shore Conference Realignment for 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, Shore Conference. Accessed November 15, 2020.
4. Torrence, Marc; and Wall, Karen. "Does School Start Too Early? In Toms River, Some Say Yes; Researchers say getting more sleep improves academic performance; some Toms River parents have lobbied the district to make a change.", Toms River Patch, August 10, 2015. Accessed November 29, 2015. "Homeroom in Toms River's three high schools and Intermediate North starts at 7:15 a.m., with Intermediate South and East starting at 7:45 a.m."
5. Toms River High School South 2013-14 School Performance Report, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed November 29, 2015.
6. "High School South | Toms River Regional School District". www.trschools.com. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
7. "High School North | Toms River Regional School District". www.trschools.com. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
8. "High School East | Toms River Regional School District". www.trschools.com. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
9. O'Kidd, Lauren. "Day in the Life of Toms River High School South: Feel the spirit at South", Asbury Park Press , April 20, 2007. Accessed August 2, 2011. "Planer is the High School South "Indian." Since 1968, seniors have been trying out for the coveted mascot post to help keep school spirit at a high. Besides "the Indian," students try out for the positions of "Indian Princess," "Super Maroon," and "Spirit," Planer says. All four perform at South football games, he adds.... In 1969, Toms River High School North opened, and 10 years later Toms River High School East opened."
10. Welcome Message, Toms River South High School. Accessed February 22, 2021. "Welcome to Toms River High School South - the oldest and proudest of the Toms River Regional Schools. Established in 1891, Toms River High School South recently graduated the 130th class of seniors."
11. "Toms River North in Operation", Asbury Park Press , September 25, 1979. Accessed February 22, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "An outside view of the new Toms River North High School, Old Freehold Rd., which opened this month."
12. Star School Award recipient detail, New Jersey Department of Education, Archived December 18, 2006. Accessed November 26, 2009.
13. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly , September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
14. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2012. Accessed September 27, 2012.
15. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2010. Accessed April 21, 2012.
16. Member Schools, Shore Conference. Accessed November 15, 2020.
17. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
18. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
19. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
20. NJSIAA Winter Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
21. History of NJSIAA Field Hockey Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
22. "State Champions", Asbury Park Press , November 25, 1975. Accessed January 10, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The Toms River High School South girls' field hockey won the NJSIAA Group IV state championship this past Saturday, defeating Westfield, 2-0.... South finished the season with a record of 16-0-1."
23. Genung, Jack. "TR South Girls Win Field Hockey Crown", Asbury Park Press , November 23, 1975. Accessed January 17, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Toms River High School South's girls field hockey team completed a near-perfect season yesterday by winning the NJSIAA Group IV championship, 2-0, over North Jersey champion Westfield.... South's final record is 16-0-1, the tie a 0-0 deadlock with Central Regional during the regular season."
24. NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
25. NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
26. Schoening, Gary. "TR South Claims First Championship", Asbury Park Press , December 3, 1978. Accessed December 31, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "But Grundhauser, the quarterback, and Signorino, the coach, are the headliners of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV-champions, Toms River High School South. Toms River yesterday became the champions for the first time In Signorino's 15-year reign by beating Cherry Hill East, 16-6."
27. Brown, Mark. "Toms River shades Eastern on field goal in overtime", Courier-Post , December 4, 1983. Accessed February 22, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Senior Carmen Sclafani kicked a 32-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in overtime to give host Toms River South High School a dramatic 17-14 win over Eastern here yesterday. The win gives the Indians the South Jersey Group 3 title.... Yesterday's defeat was most emotional for the Vikings, for they trailed 14-0 at one point and forced overtime with a last-minute touchdown."
28. Christie, Sherlon. "Husni, Moorer lead Toms River North to SJ5 title", Asbury Park Press , December 5, 2015. Accessed November 1, 2020. "When you think of smash mouth football, your first memory should be of the 2015 Toms River North football team. The Mariners exemplified that characteristic on Saturday night at Rowan University against Williamstown in the NJSIAA South Group V final. The Mariners had touchdown drives of 99 yards and 52 yards and withstood a Williamstown defense that is one of the best in the state to come away with a 14-7 victory."
29. Finley, Patricia, ed. Toms River South Cedar Chest 1973. Cedar Grove, NJ: Rae Publishing, Co., Inc. 1973.
30. Sebastion, Nestor F. "No. 7 Toms River North ousts South to stay unbeaten - Football recap", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Accessed October 8, 2024. "Toms River North, No. 7 in the NJ.com Top 20, rolled past South 41-0 in the 53rd meeting between the two teams in Toms River. North (6-0), which has won 24 of the last 31 meetings, evened the all-time series with the win."
31. Cooper, Darren, et. al. "Football: Top public schools shaken up again in New Jersey Super 25 rankings", The Record , October 8, 2024. Accessed October 8, 2024. "6. Toms River North (6-0) Public ranking: 2 Senior running back Mordecai Ford ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries as the Mariners defeated Toms River South, 41-0, to even the all-time series at 26-26-1."
32. NJSIAA Girls Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
33. Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
34. Waldeyer, Debbie. "Let's Take 2! All-around effort gives Indians back-to-back titles", Asbury Park Press , June 11, 2003. Accessed December 9, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "The contributions came from all over the field yesterday as the Toms River South baseball team beat Cranford 9-4 in the NJSIAA Group III final at Toms River High School North's Ryan Field. It was Toms River South's second consecutive Group III title, and fifth state championship overall. The Indians (24-4) also became the first team from the Shore Conference to win back-to-back state titles."
35. Boys Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024.
36. NJSIAA History of Girls Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
37. NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
38. Karn, Jeff. "Boys Soccer - 2009 NJSIAA Tournament - Group 4, Public Semis/Finals - Round 2 - Game 1 - Boys Soccer", The Star-Ledger , November 20, 2009. Accessed August 2, 2011. "Chrashewsky scored the winning goal with 24:55 on the clock in the second half and O'Neill made 10 saves to lead Toms River South to a 1-0 victory over Clifton in the final of the NJSIAA/Investors Savings Bank Group 4 final in front of 500 at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Toms River South (18-5-1), which entered the final having won 15 of it past 17 games after opening the campaign 2-3-1, was seeking its first state title."
39. LoGiudice, Daniel. "NJ boys soccer: 30 greatest Jersey Shore teams ever", Asbury Park Press , June 16, 2020. Accessed December 8, 2020. "2009 Toms River South (18-5-2) - After starting the season 2-3-1, Toms River South won 16 of its final 18 games, culminating in a 1-0 win against Clifton in the Group IV final."
40. NJSIAA Ice Hockey State Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
41. Bush, John. "Toms River South shocks Randolph", Asbury Park Press , March 13, 2010. Accessed August 2, 2011. "As the years go by the story of Toms River South winning its first ice hockey championship may get more improbable with each retelling."
42. NJSIAA Wrestling Team Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed April 1, 2021.
43. Muscavage, Nick. "New Jersey schools split on Native American sports mascots, logos", Courier News , November 8, 2018. Accessed September 20, 2020.
44. Chain of Communication / How to Effectively Communicate with School Officials 2023-2024 School Year: High School South, Toms River High School South. Accessed May 5, 2024.
45. Edelson, Stephen. "Watch: Shore's greatest hoops players of the 90s", Asbury Park Press , February 16, 2016. Accessed November 22, 2017. "Corey Albano, Toms River South (1993) — Albano produced a rare double as a senior for the Indians, leading the Shore in both scoring (29.8 ppg) and rebounding (15.1 rpg), to go with 4.2 blocks."
46. Sullivan, Jim. "Sully's Sports; Browne Stars for Gamecocks", Asbury Park Press , March 25, 1965. Accessed August 30, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Ken Turp, our Ocean County informant, reports Don Browne former All-Ocean County end from Toms River High School, is one of the leading end candidates the spring varsity football practice at the University of South Carolina."
47. Wallace, Andy. "Lew Elverson, 84, winning college coach", The Philadelphia Inquirer , May 3, 1997. Accessed February 13, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "He later told a reporter he perfected his elusive running style at his home in Toms River, N.J., racing around trees on turf made slippery by a coating of pine needles. At Toms River High School he not only dodged pine trees, he also played varsity baseball, basketball and football, and ran track."
48. Jeff Frazier, The Baseball Cube. Accessed June 2, 2022. "High School: Toms River South (Toms River, NJ)"
49. Christopher, Chris. "Frazier to Cincinnati; 34th overall" Archived August 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , Ocean County Observer, June 8, 2007. "She had to do something to honor her cousin, Todd Frazier, the former Toms River High School South standout selected 34th in the supplemental first round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft yesterday by the Cincinnati Reds."
50. Tabachnik, Sheri. "Toms River grad up for a federal judgeship", Asbury Park Press , March 4, 2000. Accessed November 22, 2017. "Back in the '60s, Julio M. Fuentes was a first-string wrestler and football player at Toms River High School."
51. Hall of Fame: Judge Julio M. Fuentes, Toms River Regional Schools. Accessed November 22, 2017. "The Toms River Schools Hall of Fame is proud to induct Judge Julio M. Fuentes for his distinguished achievements in the field of law and, especially, for his appointment and confirmation to be a judge on the 3rd United States Circuit Court of Appeals, the second highest level of the judiciary, just one step from the Supreme Court. His record in school as a student, as a person, as a member of the Student Council, and as an athlete, lettering in both football and wrestling---all presaged a most promising future."
52. Hall of Fame: Dr. Heidi Hartmann, Toms River Regional Schools. Accessed May 5, 2024. "Toms River High School Class of 1963 Inducted in 1989"
53. Hall of Fame: Gary A. Jobson, Toms River Regional Schools. Accessed November 22, 2017. "Toms River High School Class of 1969; Inducted in 1990"
54. Gia Maione Prima, Toms River Regional Schools Hall of Fame. Accessed June 2, 2022. "Toms River High School Class of 1959"
55. Myers, William Starr. Prominent Families of New Jersey, Volume 1, p. 221. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2000.Accessed August 15, 2022. "Captain and Mrs. Mathis have become the parents of a son: W. Steelman, who was born at Tuckerton, New Jersey, on December 1, 1898, and, after graduating from the Toms River High School, attended Peddie Institute and the Peirce Business College at Philadelphia."
56. Hall of Fame: Annette Brafman Meyers, Toms River Regional Schools. Accessed June 5, 2023. "Toms River High School Class of 1951 Inducted in 1992"
57. Baldwin, Chris. "Taking the Fast Lane", Asbury Park Press , December 25, 2022. Accessed July 5, 2024, via Newspapers.com. "Dream season does not begin to describe what Christie Raleigh accomplished down the stretch of her freshman year at Toms River South."
58. Williams, Kevin. "Toms River Athletic Hall Of Fame Inductees – Hometown View", WOBM-FM, May 3, 2012. Accessed July 2, 2015. "Honored posthumously from the original Toms River High School will be former track standout Jack Milne as well as football coach Ron Signorino and his undefeated 1968 Indians team which was led by Bob Hermanni, Harry Walters, Pete Bush and Rip Scherer. Also on that team was Norton Schwartz, who today is General Norton Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the Air Force."
59. Hall of Fame: Dr. Noel Ritter Valis, Toms River Regional Schools. Accessed November 22, 2017. "Toms River High School Class of 1964; Inducted in 1995"
60. Hagenmayer, S. Joseph. "Episcopal Bishop Albert W. Van Duzer", The Philadelphia Inquirer , November 30, 1999. Accessed November 8, 2015. "Raised in Toms River, Bishop Van Duzer was a 1935 graduate of Toms River High School, where he was manager for the baseball team, a member of the football team, and in the school play."

External links

• Toms River High School South website
• Toms River Schools Hall of Fame
• School Performance Report for Toms River High School South , New Jersey Department of Education
• School Data for the Toms River Regional Schools, National Center for Education Statistics