Toms River South, Lakewood To Celebrate 100 Years Of Football

TOMS RIVER and LAKEWOOD, NJ — On Thursday, as families all around Ocean County come together to give thanks and celebrate the holiday, a pair of families of a different sort will be gathering in Lakewood to celebrate the longest-running Thanksgiving rivalry game in the Shore Conference: Lakewood vs. Toms River South.

Thursday will mark the 100th Thanksgiving meeting between the teams, and there are a host of events planned to mark what will be the final Thanksgiving meeting between the teams.

Kickoff is at 11 a.m., but the celebration of is about far more than just the football game.

Events begin Wednesday afternoon, when a bonfire is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start at the Lakewood Elks Lodge 1432, 711 West Kennedy Blvd.

On Thanksgiving. the festivities begin with a breakfast for the football alumni of both Lakewood and Toms River South in the Lakewood High School cafeteria from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

At 9:30 a.m. the gates open, and all alumni football players, coaches, cheerleaders, and band members from both schools will be asked to line up by decade for an all-alumni recognition ceremony at 10 a.m.

Toms River football players, band members, cheerleaders and mascots who plan to attend are encouraged to RSVP to Michael Citta at mcitta@trschools.com.

Kickoff is at 11 a.m. and after the game, MVPs will be named from each team. Then Toms River South will meet in its end zone and Lakewood in its end zone to sing the schools' songs.

There are commemorative tickets being sold for the game that can be purchased in advance to speed entry into the game. Tickets can be purchased at the Lakewood High School gymnasium ticket booths, outside the gym entrance, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Tickets also are being sold at all three Toms River high schools in their main offices.

Fans can purchase tickets at the Lakewood Elks bonfire on Wednesday, and tickets will be available at the gate. Prices are $4 for adults, $2 for seniors and students.

With a large crowd expected, security will be checking bags; spectators are asked to not bring bags to the game unless they are clear. All fans will be wanded.

In addition, commemorative coins and shirts will be sold, with the proceeds funding scholarships for both schools.

Though the first Lakewood-Toms River football game took place in 1919 — won by the Piners, 46-0 — the first Thanksgiving Day matchup was not until 1928, when the Indians emerged victorious 13-12., according to Steve Peacock, one of the curators of the Facebook page Centennial: 100 Years of Lakewood-Toms River South Football.

Lakewood has been adding supplemental seating for the game and there will be two football alumni tents, one for each team.

The Ocean County Board of Freeholders passed a proclamation affirming the historical significance of the game between Lakewood and Toms River South.

Afterward, Peacock said he spoke with two Toms River South alumni, brothers Doug and Rich "Ritty" Polhemus. Doug Polhemus and Peacock both graduated in 1982 and played against each other. Rich Polhemus was a 1984 Toms River South graduate.

"Half-jokingly I admitted that I still had nightmares about the Indians not only beating the Piners 21-20 on Thanksgiving Day 1981, but also accomplishing that feat after stopping us inside their 1-yard line (literally in the final seconds of the game). The Polhemus brothers looked at each other and smiled. Watch the video to find out the source of their grins.

Take a look at an Asbury Park Press report on the very first game in the meeting between the teams, when Toms River had just one high school.

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