As of 2020, 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 opening and closing high schools in New Jersey, closing at 1:35 pm every day. Parents lobbied for later high school start times in 2014, but the district found that the cost to purchase the additional buses and additional drivers necessary to accommodate the change would be prohibitive.[6]
As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,931 students and 136.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.1:1. There were 427 students (22.1% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 108 (5.6% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]
History
Constructed at a cost of $3.9 million (equivalent to $32 million in 2023),[7] the school opened in 1969 in order to alleviate overcrowding in the original high school (which was renamed as Toms River High School South), which was found to be too small to accommodate the fast-growing community.[8] When the school opened it served students living north of Route 37, while those living south of that line would attend Toms River South, including those from the constituent districts of Beachwood, Pine Beach and South Toms River.[9]
The first class to graduate wasn't until 1971, since all of the seniors were kept at TRHSS for the class of 1970.
Awards, recognition and rankings
The school was the 154th-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.[10] The school had been ranked 228th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 222nd in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[11] The magazine ranked the school 212th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[12] The school was ranked 178th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[13]
Athletics
The Toms River High School North Mariners[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][14] The league operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[15] With 1,504 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group IV for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 1,060 to 5,049 students in that grade range.[16] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group V South for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 1,333 to 2,324 students.[17] Toms River North has had notable teams in football, including perennial powers in girls' swimming, boys' and girls' cross country, tennis and outdoor track teams.
The girls spring / outdoor track team won the Group IV state championship in 1976 (as co-champion with Toms River High School South).[18]
The girls' cross country team won the Group IV state championship in 1978 and 2007.[19]
The football team won the South Jersey Group IV state sectional championships in 1979, 1991, 1994, 1997 and 2007, and won the South Jersey Group V title in 2015.[20] They also won the inaugural Group V state title in 2022 after an undefeated season.[21] The 1979 team finished the season with a 9–2 record after using a successful two-point conversion to provide the 15–14 winning margin in the South Jersey Group IV championship game at Giants Stadium against a Brick Township High School team that came into the game undefeated and had beaten Toms River North 24–15 a week earlier in a conference playoff game.[22] The 2007 team won the South Jersey Group IV sectional title with a 22–19 win against Mainland Regional High School to finish the season 12–0.[23] After a 1–9 record in 2013, the team finished the 2015 season with an 11–1 record after winning the South Jersey Group V state championship, defeating Williamstown High School by a score of 14–7 in the tournament final.[24] In 2022, the Mariners won the Group V state title by a score of 28–7 against the Passaic Tech Bulldogs in the finals at Rutgers University's SHI Stadium to finish the season with a 14–0 record.[25] In 2023, the Mariners repeated as Group V champions with a 23–13 win against Passaic Tech, ending the season with a 12–2 record, going undefeated against public schools and becoming the first public school team in state history to repeat as football state champions.[26] 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, also known as the "Civil War". The game is considered to be the biggest event of the year for students. The annual rivalry began in the fall of 1972.[27] In 2024, Toms River North won 41–0, the team's 24th win in the previous 31 meetings of the schools, to bring the overall record to 26–26–1.[28][29]
The field hockey team won the South Jersey Group IV sectional title in 1980 and 1987, and won the Central Jersey Group IV title in 1987; the team won the Group IV state championship in 1987.[30] In 2004, the team took the Central Jersey Group IV title, edging Shawnee High School 1–0 in the tournament final.[31]
The boys' cross country team won Group IV state championships in 1982, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990 and 2002.[32] Under the tutelage of Matt Jelley, who was coach at Toms River North from 2000 until 2007 when he was hired to become coach at Temple University, the team won six county titles, a Shore Conference title, three South Jersey Group IV state titles, a Group IV state championship, and was ranked in the top 25 of the country four times reaching a high of 17th in 2004, with Jelley named by The Star-Ledger as its coach of the year for cross country in 2001.[33]
The boys' soccer team finished the 1983 season with a record of 18–6–1, having earned the South Jersey, Group IV sectional title as the tenth seed with a 3–1 win against Vineland High School and came back from a two-goal deficit at halftime to win the state Group IV title in 1983 with a 3–2 win over Kearny High School in the tournament final played at Princeton University.[34][35] The team earned the South, Group IV sectional title in 2004 with a 2–1 victory against Shawnee High School.[36]
The boys bowling team won the overall state championship in 1987.[37]
The wrestling team won the South Jersey Group IV state sectional title in 1990.[38]
The ice hockey team won the overall state championship in 1993.[39] From 2004 to 2006 the men's ice hockey team was considered a top public power. The Mariners finished the 2004–05 season with a 17–4–1 record and were Shore Conference Champions but were ineligible for state playoffs due to receiving three disqualifications (game ejections) in regular season play. In the 2005–06 season, Kevin Raylman took over as head coach of the program, while the team was in a very competitive, predominantly private school division, they were able to compile a 19–8–2 record. In the state tournament, the Mariners received the #3 rank in public schools and were able to make it to the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual state champions Randolph High School, 3–1.[40]
The competition cheerleading squad, led by Ida Clendenin, has won many titles, including 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 Ocean County Champions, 1999 NJCCA State Champion Stunt Group and the 1999 NCA Myrtle Beach Spring Classic Champions.[citation needed]
The girls' bowling team won the overall state championship in 1996 and won the Group IV title in 2018, 2019 and 2020. The team won the Tournament of Champions in 2018 and 2019.[41] The 2019 team won the Group IV state title with 2,858 pins, the highest in the competition, and went into the Tournament of Champions as the top seed, defeating runner-up Freehold Township High School to win the program's second straight ToC title.[42]
The girls' gymnastics team has won the team state championship in 1997, 1998 and 2000; the three titles are tied for the most of any public school in the state.[43]
The girls' basketball team won the Group IV state championship in 2000, defeating Bloomfield High School by a score of 50–48 in the tournament final.[44][45] The team won the 2000 South Jersey, Group IV state sectional championship with a 63–42 win.[46] The team took the title again in 2004 with a one-point victory against Absegami High School in the tournament final.[47]
The baseball team won the state championship in both 2008 and 2009,[citation needed] coached since the early 1990s by Ted Schelmay. The team won the 2009 South Jersey Group IV title with an 8–6 win over Cherokee High School in a game in which Cherokee committed nine errors in the field.[48]
The school's girls' lacrosse team won division championships in 2009 through 2011, led by Tatum Coffey, who scored 123 goals and 65 assists in her senior year.[49]
The school's marching band, the Toms River North Marching Mariners, were Tournament of Bands Region 7 and NJ State champions in the 3A class in the 2023 season.
The RWJBarnabas Health Arena is a public arena connected to the school. The centerpiece of the Toms River Regional School District, the facility opened on June 19, 2003. It has had many sponsorships and name changes since its opening including: the Ritacco Center, the Poland Springs Arena and the Pine Belt Arena. The 3,500-seat facility received its current name, the RWJBarnabas Health Arena, under the terms of a five-year deal reached in December 2017 under which the district will be paid $600,000 for the naming rights.[50][51]
Administration
In July 2011, Ed Keller was named the school's new principal, replacing James Hauenstein who was promoted to an Assistant Superintendent. Keller had previously been principal at North Dover Elementary School and before that at West Dover.[52] The core administration team includes four assistant principals, one assigned to each grade.[53]
^Oglesby, Amanda. "NJ high schools start too early, and here's why", Asbury Park Press, April 26, 2017. "In 2014, a group of local parents launched a petition and urged the Board of Education to push back start times at the township's three high schools, following the release of the American Academy of Pediatrics' report. But after an exhaustive study, Toms River school administrators found that a change would have required the district to buy more buses for its 165-vehicle fleet and hire additional staff to bus their 15,000 students, Superintendent David Healy said.... Toms River's high schools and one of its intermediate schools begin at 7:15 a.m., Healy said."
^"School Progresses", Asbury Park Press, January 10, 1969. Accessed July 18, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Construction it progressing on the Toms River High School North, scheduled to open in September for Toms River students north of Route 37. The present school will then accommodate Toms River students living south of Route 37 and commuters from Beachwood, Pine Beach, and South Toms River."
^"Undefeated High School North Football Wins Group 5 State Championship", Toms River Regional Schools, December 5, 2022. Accessed January 10, 2023. "It was clear heading into the playoffs that the undefeated High School North Mariners were a special football team with a chance to become history makers. On Sunday, Dec. 4, they did just that, winning the first-ever Group 5 state title over Passaic Tech 28-7 at Rutgers University."
^Schoening, Gary. "Mariners disdain tie nip Brick, win title", Asbury Park Press, December 3, 1979. Accessed February 22, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "By electing to go for a two-point conversion and disdaining an extra point that could have meant overtime, the Mariners scored their 14th and 15th points of the game. It marked the second time in as many weekends they had scored 15 against Brick Township, but this time it was enough to propel North to the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV championship, 15-14.... By winning. North, 9-2, kept the SJ IV crown in Toms River (Toms River South won it last year), avenged its 24-15 loss last Saturday to the Green Dragons for the Class A South championship, won its second straight 15-14 NJSIAA playoff game (having beaten Pennsauken by the same score Nov. 17), and handed Brick (9-1-1) its only loss of the year."
^"High school football: Toms River North wants to keep streak alive", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 12, 2008, updated August 26, 2019. Accessed December 8, 2020. "Toms River North enjoyed a magical season in 2007, running the table on a 12-0 masterpiece that culminated with a 22-19 victory over Mainland in the NJSIAA South Jersey, Group 4 playoff final."
^Evans, Bill. "From 1-9 to Group 5 champions in 2 years: The Toms River North story", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 5, 2015. Accessed November 3, 2017. "Toms River North wasn't just 1-9.... That was two years ago when the Mariners won just once, a 28-0 consolation game victory against Egg Harbor.... On Saturday night, Toms River North capped an amazing turnaround with a 14-7 victory over Williamstown in the South Jersey Group 5 final that completed an 11-1 season with the school's sixth championship."
^Badders, Bob. "Toms River North wins Group 5 title to finish undefeated", Shore News Network, December 4, 2022. Accessed January 10, 2023. "With three touchdown passes from junior quarterback Micah Ford, an outstanding defensive performance, and a title-clinching touchdown run by junior running back Josh Moore in the final minutes, Toms River North defeated Passaic Tech, 28-7, to win the inaugural Group 5 state championship at SHI Stadium. The Mariners set a state record for points in a season with 660, are believed to be the first team in NJ history to go 14-0, and will go down as one of the most dominant teams in Shore Conference history."
^Badders, Bob. "Toms River North tops Passaic Tech to repeat as Group 5 State Champs", Shore Sports Network, November 27, 2023. Accessed June 5, 2024. "Senior quarterback Micah Ford ran for 199 yards and a touchdown and threw a touchdown to senior Jeremiah Pruitt, senior Yianni Papanikolas kicked a 37-yard field goal, and senior linebacker Anthony Rodriguez returned an interception for a touchdown as the Mariners repeated as Group 5 state champions with a 23-13 win over Passaic Tech on Monday night at Rutgers University's SHI Stadium. Toms River North is the first public school to win consecutive state titles."
^Finley, Patricia, ed. Toms River South Cedar Chest 1973. Cedar Grove, NJ: Rae Publishing Co., Inc., 1973.
^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."
^"Temple Names Matt Jelley Head Cross Country Coach: Three-year letterwinner at Clemson coached at Toms River North High School for the past seven years", Temple Owls press release dated September 13, 2007. Accessed July 29, 2011. "Matt Jelley, the highly successful head cross country/track coach at Toms River North High School for the past seven years, has been named the head cross country coach at Temple University, director of track and field Stefanie Scalessa announced today. Jelley led his team to one New Jersey Group IV state title, three South Jersey Group IV championships, six Ocean County Championships and one Shore Conference Championship in cross country.... Jelley, who was named the 2001 New Jersey Cross Country Coach of the Year by the Newark Star-Ledger, coached four cross country teams (2001-04) to national rankings by Harrier Magazine."
^LoGiudice, Daniel. "NJ boys soccer: 30 greatest Jersey Shore teams ever", Asbury Park Press, June 16, 2020. Accessed December 8, 2020. "1983 Toms River North (18-6-1) - One of the greatest underdogs in Shore Conference history, Toms River North won its first ever sectional title with a 3-1 victory against previously unbeaten Vineland in the South Group IV tournament despite entering the tournament as the No. 10 seed. The Mariners went a step further and captured their first ever group title, a wild 3-2 victory against two-time defending champion Kearney that saw the Mariners lose a 2-0 halftime lead and Kearney fans storm the field mid-game."
^Underwood, Matt. "Randolph uses early lead to fuel win", Daily Record, March 19, 2006. Accessed July 29, 2011. "The Toms River North ice hockey team knew they were going to have to come out flying in order to be able to advance in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association public school's tournament."
^Kalish, Jennifer. "Lady Bengal dream season falls a bit short; Sears leads Bloomfield second half attack, but team loses, 50-48", Bloomfield Life, March 16, 2000. Accessed December 30, 2020. "Eyes filled with courage and hearts full of desire is the only way to describe the Bloomfield High School girls' basketball squad this season. However, the Lady Bengals fell just a heartbeat short of a state championship as they fell to Toms River North High School, 50-48, in the Group 4 State Final game at the Dunn Center in Elizabeth on Sunday, March 12."
^Larsen, Eric. "Pine Belt Arena in Toms River renamed a second time in 5 months: RWJBarnabas Health Arena", Asbury Park Press, December 21, 2017. Accessed December 30, 2020. "The Pine Belt Arena, which was to have been renamed the Hackensack Meridian Health Arena at the start of the new school year, will now be called the RWJBarnabas Health Arena at the start of the new calendar year.... RWJBarnabas, which owns Community Medical Center in Toms River and Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, will pay the Toms River Regional School District $637,500 over five years to have its name emblazoned upon the 3,500-seat complex on Old Freehold Road."
^Galioto, Catherine. "Assistant Super Appointment Creates Domino Effect of Vacancies as School Shuffles Around Staffers: North Dover principal moves to High School North principal spot, among other transitions approved last week", TomsRiverPatch, July 26, 2011. Accessed July 29, 2011. "The first promotion the Toms River Regional School Board agreed to was moving Toms River North Principal James Hauenstein, who will serve as the newest assistant superintendent for Toms River Regional Schools. He replaces the assistant superintendent spot left vacant after Frank Roselli was named superintendent.... The vacancy created by Hauenstein's move to assistant super would create a ripple effect, leading to six other transition appointments in the district. North Dover Elementary Principal Ed Keller will be principal at High School North."
^Darian Barnes player profile, National Football League Players Association. Accessed July 23, 2007. "Hometown: Toms River, NJ... Attended Toms River North High School in Toms River, New Jersey ... Earned second-team all-state honors and first-team all county from the Star-Ledger as a senior."
^Edelson, Stephen. "Where in the world is Alex Blackwell?", Asbury Park Press, January 9, 2015. Accessed February 25, 2017."You see, Alex Blackwell put the Hawks on the Division I map pretty much from the moment he showed up in West Long Branch. But Ken Dempsey, then a young assistant coach who recruited him out of Toms River North, and former Monmouth head coach Wayne Szoke have no idea where Blackwell is nearly a quarter-century after moments like his put-back at the buzzer to beat Pepperdine in Malibu."
^Sean Cashman, The Baseball Cube. Accessed September 23, 2019. "Born Date: 1987 [32.???] Place: Toms River, New Jersey High School: Toms River North (Toms River,NJ)"
^Staff. "Kudos:, Asbury Park Press, April 1, 1998. Accessed November 3, 2017. "Syma Chowdhry, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Amjad Chowdhry, here, has been selected 'New Jersey's Perfect Teen.'... She is a junior at Toms River High School North where she participates in many activities and clubs."
^Christopher, Chris. "Cam Dineen's Hockey Dream Lives", Jersey Shore Online, June 28, 2017. Accessed November 14, 2021. "Cam Dineen, the Toms River High School North senior, has signed an entry level contract with the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League."
^Rubin, Roger. "Leiter family comes full circle with Mark Jr. on the Phillies", Newsday, July 2, 2017. Accessed November 3, 2017. "Out of Toms River North High, Leiter Jr. opted to go to NJIT because of the chance to start right away — 'he needed to pitch if he was going to be able to dial it to 90,' his father said — but his profile really turned up on May 3, 2013, when the senior struck out 20 hitters from Chicago State."
^Aitken Jr., Robert."Toms River native Ron Marinaccio pitches scoreless inning for Yankees in MLB debut", The Record, April 9, 2022. Accessed April 10, 2022. "Toms River's Ron Marinaccio made his Major League debut for the Yankees on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, striking out a pair and keeping the Red Sox off the board.... A product of Toms River North High School, Marinaccio made the Yankees Opening Day roster earlier this month after a strong spring training, not allowing an earned run in six appearances."
^"Colleges in Area Project Enrollments", Asbury Park Press, May 12, 1974. Accessed November 22, 2017. "When 16-year-old Cheryl Spector, a sophomore at Toms River High School North, completes college, she wants to become a Spanish teacher."
