Stevens girls come out firing to start season BY SHAWN LAYTON Staff Writer EDISON — The J.P. Stevens High School girls basketball team improved to 2-0 with a 47-35 win over a tough Woodbridge team last week. The Hawks picked up their first win of the season with a 47-25 win over East Brunswick. Brittany Mullings’ return to the starting lineup after injuries sidelined her for much of last season had paid immediate dividends. In the win over Woodbridge, Mullings finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. “She’s such a versatile player that she’s a handful for teams to match up against her,” Stevens head coach John Spiess said. “She can be a No. 5 or run the point. I’d hate to coach against her.” Caitlyn Seamster was another monster on the glass, collecting 11 rebounds to go with her eight points, while teammate Kathryn Ruhno finished with 11 points for the second game in a row. “Caitlyn has really worked hard to become a better offensive player,” Spiess said. “She’s a great kid and she’s been outstanding on the boards.” The Hawks have been winning in impressive fashion because everyone in the lineup has been contributing. Point guard Casey Kirsch was another player to come up big in the win over Woodbridge, collecting six steals and four assists. “We’ve gotten a pretty balanced attack through the first two games,” Spiess said. “We’ve definitely distributed the ball well and looked for each other on the floor. Casey Kirsch has really been the catalyst for us on offense. Things run smoothly when she’s playing well.” Senior Bobbi Van Fleet has also been a consistent force on the floor, finishing with nine points in both wins. “Bobbi is another player, like Brittany, that can play every position,” Spiess said. “Everyone’s been working hard defensively, which has opened up our offense. The key for us is always going to be our defense. I’ve been throwing a lot at the team and they’ve been great at recognizing different offensive sets and changing our defensive strategy.” Despite the lopsided final score, Woodbridge stayed with the Hawks for most of the first half before Stevens pulled away in the third quarter. “Woodbridge has a nice young team with some really nice shooters,” Spiess said. “Right now they are pretty young, but they should be very good next year.” Up next for the Hawks is another young team with loads of talent, Rahway, in the opening round of the J.P. Stevens Lady Hawks Invitational. “Rahway has some nice players and they’re very athletic,” Spiess said. “They should be a tough match-up for us.”