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 AMTorrence, 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." and lasts six hours and 20 minutes.Toms River High School South 2013-14 School Performance Report, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed November 29, 2015. Toms River high schools have some of the earliest daily closing high schools in New Jersey, closing at 1:35 PM every day.
As of the 2024–25 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,463 students and 90.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 16.2:1. There were 525 students (35.9% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 82 (5.6% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Toms River High School South, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed January 15, 2026.
The school colors are maroon and White. The school has four mascots: Indian, Indian Princess, Super Maroon, and Spirit. 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.
History The original Toms River High School graduated its first class in 1891 and the current building opened for students in 1951.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." In 1969, when the high school was found to be too small, a second high school, Toms River High School North was opened"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." 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.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."
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.Star School Award recipient detail, New Jersey Department of Education, Archived December 18, 2006. Accessed November 26, 2009.
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.Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014. 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.Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 27, 2012. The magazine ranked the school 264th in 2008 out of 316 schools.Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed April 21, 2012.
Athletics The Toms River High School South IndiansToms River High School South, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. 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.Shore Conference Realignment for 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, Shore Conference. Accessed November 15, 2020.Member Schools, Shore Conference. Accessed November 15, 2020. The league operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. 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.NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020. 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.NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
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.NJSIAA Winter Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
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.History of NJSIAA Field Hockey Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023."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."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."
The girls spring track team won the Group IV state championship in 1976 (as co-champion with Toms River High School North).NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
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.NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023. 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.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." 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.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." In 2015, the team won the South Jersey Group V title with a 14–7 win against Williamstown High School in the tournament final.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." 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.Finley, Patricia, ed. Toms River South Cedar Chest 1973. Cedar Grove, NJ: Rae Publishing, Co., Inc. 1973. 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.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."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."
The boys' cross country team won the Group III state championship in 1980.NJSIAA Girls Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.