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Three Kean Athletes Sign College Scholarship Acceptance Letters

With proud coaches and parents looking on, three Ivanna Eudora Kean High School seniors accepted full athletic scholarships during a signing event in the Red Hook public school’s library Wednesday morning.

Akia Frett will attend and play basketball at Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, Ariz., in the fall; Stephaun Adams will be attending Ranger College in Texas, where he’ll play basketball; and Emari Mills will bring his baseball talents to Western Oklahoma State College.

With her mother, Lelia Christopher-Frett, and father, Anselmo "Akebo" Frett, looking on, Akia Frett, who led the Lady Rays basketball team to its winning season this year, signed her acceptance letter. Frett said academics would come first once she settles into college life in the fall.

"I will hit the books. Education comes first," she said. "And sports come after that. I will try my best."

Frett, who was also named one of the school’s three Athletes of the Year, was the point guard on the Lady Rays team. Kean Basketball Coach Derrick Huiliger expects Frett to continue to excel at Eastern Arizona College.

"She’s very, very good," said Huiliger. "She sees the court and she sees the defense. She can cover the floor and she can see a play develop. She’s very intense with her training and she’s a great team player. She’s going to do well in college.”

Assistant Coach Bernalyn Tomeau also said Frett would have no problem making the transition to college basketball.

"She has great court awareness and she plays with intensity," said Tomeau.

In addition to basketball, Frett played softball and volleyball this year. Her softball coach Lloyd Jackson said she is an all-around athlete who will have no trouble with collegiate athletics.

"She did three sports this year and she did great in all of them," said Jackson. "She was the only girl on our boy’s baseball team one year and she can also run track. She’s an all-around athlete and she can do whatever she sets her mind to."

Stephaun Adams, originally from St. Croix, started attending Kean in his junior year. As point guard, he anchored the Rays’ boys’ basketball team, which won all regular season games this year and took the territorial title. The team’s only loss was a tournament game loss. Adams earned MVP distinctions in every single tournament, was named one of Kean’s Athletes of the Year and will graduate with honors.

Adams said he is looking forward to realizing his goals as he heads off to Ranger College, in Ranger, Texas, in the fall.

"I take pride in my school work," said Adams. "I will continue my studies and try to become the best player I can be as I pursue my goals in life. I want to study sports management," he said.

Adams’ mother was beaming as she watched the youngest of her eight children accept a full, four-year athletic scholarship.

Stephanie Adams said, "I’m so proud of him. I know he’ll continue to make me proud. I’m going to miss him, even the headaches and arguments. I’m a proud mom."

Emari Mlls is a star right-handed pitcher who led his team to a championship this year and will be playing baseball at Western Oklahoma State College in the fall. Kean Athletic Director Peter Seipel said, if Mills was old enough, he likely would have been drafted by Major League Baseball this year.

"He probably would have been drafted, but he’s too young to qualify this year," said
Seipel.

Mills throws his fastball consistently 88 to 89 miles per hour, has a mean change-up, a steady curve ball and is working on his slider. He was named the third of Kean’s Athletes of the Year. His baseball coach said the young man will find plenty of success at Western Oklahoma State College.

"He’ll do great because he’s so coachable,” Jackson said. “He’s willing to learn and willing to work hard. I nominated Emari for Athlete of the Year because he led us to our first championship in five to six years. I continue coaching here for the Emari’s of the school; I like to see them go on and be successful."

The assistant basketball coach said all three athletes made coaches and parents proud not only during their games, but also in life.

Tomeau said, "We train them and coach them in sports, but we try to prepare them for life. We follow them from ninth grade and make sure their grades are up."

Tomeau said the only thing holding Kean students back is a lack of exposure.

"We need to raise money and get these kids to the states and to Puerto Rico for tournaments," she said. "We have the talent here; we just need to let people know about them. We need to raise the money so the kids can travel and show how good they are."

Kean Athletic Director Seipel said the students, like the school, are moving ahead.

Seipel said, "The Rays are on the move and these athletes are on the move as well. We are a very family-oriented institution and we look out for each other. This is a very proud moment for us right now. We have high expectations for these three to go far."

Seipel thanked the school’s administration for its support and said the athletes are more than just good basketball and baseball players.

"We teach them about athletics but we also teach them life skills," he said. "We want them to be well-rounded individuals; that is what is really important."

All three athletes thanked their parents and coaches for helping them to succeed and not letting them give up on their sports or schoolwork.

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