Stevens' playoff run ends in sectional quarterfinals
BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer

JEFFGRANIT staff Bishop Ahr's Lindsay Brown pushes the ball upcourt during the Trojans' season-ending loss to St. John Vianney in the state playoffs in Holmdel on March 1.

EDISON - The J.P. Stevens High School girls basketball team ended the season with a 92-35 loss to Piscataway in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group IV Tournament.

"We played hard, but we were a bit overmatched in this game," Stevens head coach John Spiess said. "Piscataway wanted to prove a point, but we played them hard. Piscataway ended up losing to Perth Amboy later in the tournament because they didn't have a lot left in the tank after playing us."

Senior Brittany Mullings led the Hawks with 15 points while Piscataway had six players finish the contest in double figures. Asia Jenkins led Piscataway with 21 points.

With the loss, Stevens finished season with 16 wins and 10 losses. The Hawks reached the quarterfinals with a 56-45 win over Irvington in the first round. Senior Bobbi Van Fleet led the way with 19 points and 10 boards. Mullings added 17 and fellow senior Caitlyn Seamster contributed 14.

"We really put it together in that game," Spiess said. "We finished with 18 assists as a team because we distributed the ball so well. Irvington is a tough team because they play in such a tough conference against a team like Shabazz. They were a tough match-up for us."

Unfortunately, the Hawks could not get passed Piscataway in the next round. Piscataway staked its claim as the area's top team early in the season and proved it with three wins in as many games against Stevens this season. With the loss, Stevens said good-bye to seniors Mullings, Seamster, Van Fleet, Casey Kirsch, Lisette Polanco, Kathryn Ruhno, and Brittany Wright.

Kirsch and Ruhno have committed to play for Stockton and Rowan University respectively next season while Van Fleet is headed north to the University of Binghamton. Seamster is bound for Adelphi to continue her softball career. While she will not continue her basketball career at the next level, Mullings is headed to the Ivy League and University of Pennsylvania in the fall.

"It was a great year," Spiess said. "We will definitely miss the seniors from this season because they were such leaders. Caitlyn really did a great job controlling the middle and Ruhno's three-point shooting really opened up our inside game."

Ruhno's prowess from beyond the arc set a new school record when she knocked down six threes in her 30-point performance against Rahway.

"The knock on Kathryn was that she wouldn't play defense, but she really did a nice job this year at both ends of the floor," Spiess said. "She has six assists in the Irvington game which also is a testament to her all-around game."

Despite missing some significant time due to injury, Polanco rejoined the team mid-January and brought aggressive defense and intensity to the floor.

"She was a welcome addition once she was back in the lineup," Spiess said. "Brittany Wright was another important senior who gave us good energy off the bench."

The lone player expected back next season with significant varsity experience is sophomore Gabby Freeman.

"Gabby was our defensive specialist this season and she did a real nice job," Spiess said. "We'll depend on her to score more next year and we have some strong girls ready to move up from the JV level."