Corey Simms can catch more than just footballs.
The CBC senior wide receiver doesn't necessarily flaunt his other skill.
Yet in some way, the 6-foot-4-inch playmaker is just as proud of his fishing talents.
Simms wrestled in a 10-pound bass from a pond on a Sunday afternoon toward the end of last year's football season.
It was the biggest catch of his life.
"He didn't fight much," Simms said. "Brought him right in."
Simms used a swimbait to get the job done.
He took a picture of his conquest and then tossed the fish back into the water.
"I always catch and release," he said.
While Simms may have a ways to go to reach the top of the fishing plateau, there is no doubting his talents on the football field. He led the entire ºüÀêÊÓƵ area with 79 catches last year in helping the Cadets to a Class 6 state runner-up finish.
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The 205-pound speedster, who is No. 4 on the Post-Dispatch Super 30 football recruiting countdown, massed 1,049 yards, an average of 13.3 yards per grab. In addition, he scored 12 touchdowns, the majority of which came at crucial times.
Simms' pass-catching exploits drew the attention of more than 30 NCAA Division I coaches across the country including schools from each of the Power Five Conferences.
He finally choose the University of Southern California out of a final three that also included Mizzou and Penn State.
Ironically, it might have been Simms' fishing exploits that helped seal the deal. USC coach Lincoln Riley is an avid fisherman, and he spoke with Simms about his own catches during a June 7 recruiting visit to Los Angeles.
"He promised to take me fishing some time," Simms said.
Simms possesses a deadly combination of speed and sure hands. He hauls in anything within his reach and is fast enough to elude most defensive backs. Relatively tall, Simms has displayed the ability to break games open with one reception after another.
Most importantly, Simms always seems to come up big on the brightest of stages. He recorded a pair of 100-plus yard receiving efforts in postseason wins over Jackson and De Smet last season.
"He's the complete package," CBC coach Scott Pingel said. "He's good at reading defenses and knowing how certain routes work against certain defenses."
Plus, Simms can come up big with a rod and reel.
He likes fishing for catfish along the banks of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers when he gets a chance. Simms enjoys wiling away the hours with a pole in his hands, speaking with friends and relatives along the way.
"I'm not sure a lot people know that about me," Simms says of his penchant for fishing. "It's just something I do to relax."
Simms turned plenty of heads during his sophomore season with 32 catches for 446 yards and four touchdowns as the Cadets won their second successive Class 6 state championship. He caught five passes for 65 yards in a 35-28 overtime win over Lee's Summit North in the title tilt.
The Florissant resident raised his game even further last year, catching at least two passes in all 14 games. He scored in nine different contests and began the campaign with three successive nine-reception efforts.
No opponent ever really shut him down. His precise route-running skills make him difficult to contain.
Simms says he needs to improve on his yards after the catch to reach the next level. His dream is to make it to the NFL and he feels four years at USC can help make that happen.
"They've got one of the best offenses in college and I feel like I can fit in there," Simms said. "It's far enough away from home that I can focus and concentrate."
Simms took up football in second grade after a pair what he called "boring" seasons as a soccer player.
It turned out to be a smart move.
"I've loved football ever since," Simms said.
The Cadets are looking for their fourth successive title game berth. They won championships in 2021 and 2022 before coming up short in a 38-7 loss to Liberty North in last year's championship affair.
Simms believes this group has the potential to claim another championship.
"The talent is there," he said.