Nathan Heuer has faced many tough opponents during his wrestling career at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown. But now, the Roughriders' 2008, 171-pound state champion faces the toughest opponent of his life.

Cancer.

Heuer thought his recent aches and pains were just a part of wrestling. But they finally reached a breaking point with the 18-year-old senior.

He had wrestled at the Garden City (Kan.) Invitational, placing second in his 189-pound weight class. Losing in the championship match was a downer, but it was nothing compared with what lay ahead.

"There was a tingling in my leg, and it was going numb," said Heuer, who was a state runner-up at 171 pounds as a sophomore. "I could barely walk to the shower or pick up my feet. I thought, 'This is enough.' There was serious pain and spasms, and I couldn't sleep. I thought it was just my wrestling pains, but it became a situation that I finally had to find out what was going on."

Heuer's father, Kevin, who had back surgery in the past, called his doctor. He was told to bring in his son for a magnetic resonance imaging exam at University Hospital in Denver. Nathan was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, a Stage 3 cancer that is considered very aggressive.

Heuer went into surgery Feb. 4 to remove a tumor and he immediately began chemotherapy. He returned home Feb. 11, his high school wrestling career at an end.

"It was pretty devastating at first when they told me I couldn't wrestle any more this season and what my situation was," said Heuer, who had a 26-2 record and was ranked No. 1 at 189 by On The Mat.

"The last few days I've had a lot of time to think on my own. There have been some negative thoughts, but I try to keep positive. I think about the purpose of life and what direction I'm going in. I think I can realize the important things and now not take anything for granted. I know I won't anymore."

Linda Klipp, Roosevelt's athletic director, and Roughriders coach Mike Pallotto have been on top of Heuer's situation from the start.

"We are still a small school, and the wrestling community is very close," Klipp said. "We all want Nathan to know how much we love and respect him. With any athlete, they have aches and pains and they fight through the pain. They are usually in good shape and they bounce back. Parents don't think about it, feeling it is normal pain from the matches, as they are very physical. They just keep playing, that's how it is."

Pallotto has been Roosevelt's coach the past 34 years and admits the situation has been tough on him and the team.

"Nathan is a leader on and off the mat at school," Pallotto said. "You just can't replace a young man like Nathan. He has a super family and it's hard to describe what he means to everyone at school, our team and community, as he is an exceptional leader.

"It is important in life to look back at the scope of life. That can be bumpy. Kids have to learn that you have to go out and do the best you can but realize not everything is going to be easy and just come your way. Nathan has always realized this; that's a reason behind his success. We're all behind Nathan, and he is behind us."

What was extremely pleasing to Heuer was that the entire Roosevelt wrestling team was at the hospital when he came out of surgery at 11:30 p.m.

"My team has just been the best, with a lot of support," Heuer said. "It was cool the team came down and to see how much they cared. It was just a real good deal. I've had a lot of support from them, my teachers and community and I thank them a lot. Right now, I just want to get back on my feet and back to school."

Doctors went to talk with the family after Heuer's surgery and saw the team there. The first question was whether they all were family. Tami Heuer assured the doctors they were and they could talk with all of them.

Heuer said she and her husband were surprised by the diagnosis and said it was her husband who said it was time for a trip to the doctor for their son.

"We thought that because of Nathan's wrestling that he was just having trouble with a pulled muscle or strain," Tami Heuer said. "This was all out of the blue, something that you couldn't really prepare for. We had been giving him chiropractic therapy, and it didn't seem to be helping at times.

"Nathan was really focused on what he had to do to repeat. This has been very difficult for all of us. Nathan is tough, in very good shape and a battler. He does not like losing."

Nor does Heuer want any of his teammates to lose at state, and he hopes another team title is in the works.

Roosevelt, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A, won the state title last season and moved up in classification this year. It has been ranked No. 1 most of the season and will have 10 qualifiers, including five region champions, at state.

"I want to make it down to state and watch my team wrestle," Heuer said. "We still have a chance to win state, even with me out of the lineup. I really appreciate the support from everyone. It means a lot to me from the team and community and school.

"... I don't want them to worry about me but work hard at the task at hand. I want everyone at school to support them 100 percent."

Heuer had a low white blood cell count when tested Wednesday and spent the night in the hospital. Pallotto said Heuer's mother was hopeful he would be released today and still be able to root his teammates on.

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