ST. JOSEPH, Ill. (WCIA) — The sting of SJO’s second round playoff loss to Unity is still felt by Cameron Wagner.

“It’s constantly on my mind,” Wagner shared. “During film sessions and conditioning, that was the focus. The coaches kept saying that’s all you need to concentrate on, that’s your motivator for the week to have an outstanding week of practice.”

The Spartan junior is the highest-rated offensive lineman in Illinois in the Class of 2027, but that’s not stopping him from chasing improvement.

“Since track season concluded and the weather warmed up, I would head to school around 5:30 before classes to do foot speed drills, conditioning, and similar exercises, plus work on improving my speed on the field and pushing off the line,” Wagner explained.

“He’s much like our other players; you can see his improvement each week,” SJO’s head coach Shawn Skinner remarked. “This progress stems from his preparation throughout the week, his dedication during practice, and that’s evident in his performance on Friday nights.”

The four-star athlete has made game day trips to prestigious programs like Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Ohio State this year, but chose to skip traveling during Unity’s game week.

“When should I buckle down more,” Wagner pondered. “I figured Unity week was the perfect time.” “There weren’t any games this week that seemed important enough to attend.”

Throughout his high-profile recruitment. He’s following advice from his parents, who were once college athletes.

“Don’t let others dictate your path; follow your own course,” Wagner advised. “They were like, if you want to go to a junior college and just play, or if football isn’t your choice, just do what makes you happy.”

Wagner won’t go far for another gameday visit to Illinois. He’ll be at Gies Memorial Stadium to see the Illini play Ohio State in front of a sellout crowd.