SEASON PREVIEW: St. Joseph-Ogden focusing on daily battles to follow 10 win season

ST. JOSEPH, Ill. (WAND) - High school football players are used to the heat. Before the Fall chill settles in, the first half of the season is mostly spent on hot turf in full pads. For Saint Joseph-Ogden, every practice, even if indoors, is a day to get better.

"There was never a moment where there wasn't work being done," SJO head coach Shawn Skinner says. "That lets you know that your seniors have figured it out. They get it. That's a good group."

Each session is like a play - if a player has a misstep or loses focus, someone else can get the upper hand. The preparation being done by the Spartans shows they are ready to go toe to toe with anyone.

"I mean, that's what football is all about," says senior linebacker Ryker Lockhart. "You ready to start knocking each other. That's that's what makes it exciting."

After SJO's first 10-win season in a decade, Skinner, entering his 10th year at the helm, has a message to enforce - get comfortable, being uncomfortable.

"They always put us in different situations on defense," says Lucas Smith, a senior defensive back. "We always try new positions, a lot of kids do."

The team has put the success of last year behind them. Behind the motto "1-0", Skinner wants his team to individually battles one step at a time.

"We want to be just locked in right here and now," Skinner says. "Nothing else matters. Not what's in the past, not what's coming down 2 or 3 or 4 weeks down the line."

Winning each opportunity and finding a way to ensure overall team success begins in the trenches. The Spartan offensive line has both size and experience on their side. Cam Wagner stands at 6-7 and weighs 300 pounds and is a 4-star college recruit. Not only does he help open gaps for running the football, but he also passes along key information.

"I think the biggest thing Cam and Brennan [Oleynichak], our center that's returning, both those guys have been communicating from day one," Skinner points out. "They've done an excellent job communicating with the other offensive linemen."

The importance of relaying details is stressed on both offense and defense.

"Communication is a huge thing," Smith adds. "We struggled a lot in the past, but I feel like over the summer we've gotten really good at that. Especially since there's a lot of seniors. We've always played together."

Much of the roster was in Junior Football the last time SJO went to state. The Spartans of 2013 were idols to young football players. Today, the current players want inspire kids just the same.

"Now that I'm that now, it's it's really just an honor," Lockhart says.

SJO opens their season at Prairie Central in hopes of kicking of another run to the postseason.