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Triple Threat -- Jake Simuncak, South Milwaukee

10/27/2016, 11:45am CDT
By Mark Miller

The Triple Threat of the Week is brought to you by the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. Cutting-edge, personalized sports performance and injury prevention programs, training with world-class experts, state-of-the-art facilities and technology.

Triple Threat is an honor given on WisSports.net to the top senior boys and girls three sport athletes in the state.

Name: Jake Simuncak

School: South Milwaukee High School

Grade: Senior

Football Honors: A 5-foot-8, 155-pound quarterback with excellent quickness, Simuncak rushed for 23 touchdowns and passed for another seven scores as a senior for the Rockets ... Served as team captain as senior after recording the most all-purpose yards in the Woodland Conference as a junior ... Set a state record for quarterbacks by rushing for 418 yards on 38 carries in a 36-0 victory over Cudahy ... Also tied a state record for running backs and quarterbacks by rushing for more than 300 yards in three consecutive games ... Rushed for 1,669 yards and passes for 910 yards through eight games while helping South Milwaukee to a WIAA playoff berth under coach Mike Bertok.

Basketball Honors: Came off the bench as a junior for coach John Riggins and the Rockets ... Could contend for a starting spot in the South Milwaukee backcourt as a senior under new coach Chad Donahue.

Baseball Honors: Chosen as an honorable mention all-state pick as a junior ... Also named to the all-Woodland Conference team following 2016 season ... Team co-Most Valuable Player after batting .409 with 47 hits, 28 RBIs, 35 runs scored and 30 stolen bases. 

Track Honors: Voted Most Improved athlete on the South Milwaukee track and field team as a junior.

Powerlifting Honors: Participated in the state meet as a freshman and sophomore. Earned a second-place finish in the national meet as a sophomore.

Favorite Sport: "Football and baseball. I can't choose between either sport. I have had very much success in both sports and played each since I was very young."

Best Part of High School Sports: "Being able to socialize with many of my friends as well as having fun doing my favorite things."

Best Advice from a High School Coach: "The more that you grind throughout high school, the more people will want to be like you. Be a good leader and set a good example."

Most Memorable Moments in High School Sports: "My junior season in football in the second game of the season we played West Allis Hale. In overtime, I was put in at quarterback and threw a touchdown pass. Then on defense, I had an interception to seal the win."

Best Part of Playing Three (Plus Two) Sports: "Playing five sports -- counting powerlifting -- allows me to keep busy doing the things that I love." 

Toughest Part of Playing Three (Plus Two) Sports: "Not having much rest time to allow myself to fully recover."

Favorite Opponent: "Cudahy. They are right across the road from South Milwaukee, making each and every game that much more intense as well as practices leading up to that game."

Favorite Professional Teams: Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks

Favorite Professional Athletes: "Barry Sanders because I admire the way he played and feel I play football like him in the way I shift through the defense and fight for every yard."

Favorite College Teams: Wisconsin Badgers

Cumulative GPA: 3.2

Toughest Individual You've Competed Against: "Rusty Murphy of Cudahy has always been tough. He never lets up and will do whatever it takes to win for his team."

Most Admired High School Teammate: "Matt McCarty. I've always looked at him as an older brother in both baseball and basketball. He is one of the best role models I have seen."

College Plans: "I hope to continue to play either football or baseball. I plan to study athletic training."

Activities Outside of Sports: "I am an Eagle Scout, which has given me the leadership abilities and character qualities I have today. I like to camp, frisbee golf, fish and golf with my family and friends."

I Find it Relaxing to: "Play video games and hanging out with friends and my weiner dog, Rollie."

Favorite TV show: Impractical Jokers

Favorite Movie: "The Sandlot because I grew up watching it and relate to playing baseball to have fun."

Favorite Musical Artists: Zach Brown Band, Michael Jackson

Favorite Subject: "Science classes because I am very hands-on and enjoy experiments and labs."

Favorite Restaurant: "The Packing House in Milwaukee because they have my favorite ribs which never seem to let my tastebuds down."

Favorite Website: Youtube.com

Family Members: Dennis, father; Julie, mother; Zach, older brother; Rollie, dog.

(If you'd like to nominate a senior three-sport athlete from Wisconsin for the Triple Play Triple Threat feature, please contact Mark Miller at wbnews@yahoo.com)

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