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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 9, 2006 Phoenix wrestler Doug Stewart overcame a bout with whooping cough to finish third at last year�s Skyline Conference district meet. Now healthy, Stewart is aiming higher at this year�s meet which begins on Friday. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Catching his breath After a bout with whooping cough last year, a healthy Doug Stewart has something to prove at Skyline tourney By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Competing at district and state wrestling tournaments is tough enough when you’re healthy. Imaging taking the mat with a nasty case of whooping cough. That was the predicament Phoenix’s Doug Stewart found himself in last February. "I got it about a week before district," recalls Stewart. "I had a hard time breathing and I couldn’t stop coughing. Every match, I felt like I was going to puke." Whooping cough, known as pertussis by the medical profession, is a bacteria-caused infection of the respiratory system. It is characterized by severe coughing spells that end in a "whooping" sound when an affected person takes a breath. Advertisement Before a vaccine was developed, it killed 5,000 to 10,000 people in the United States each year. That number has dwindled to less than 30. Despite his sickly condition, Stewart managed to finish third at the 2005 Skyline Conference district meet and qualify for the Class 3A state tournament, where he came within one match of placing even though he still didn’t feel well. A year later, Stewart has his health. The lanky senior is seeded No. 1 at 152 pounds and ranked No. 4 in the state. He’s eager to claim his second district title — he triumphed at 140 pounds as a sophomore in 2004 — at the Skyline Conference tourney, which begins Friday and concludes Saturday at Mazama High in Klamath Falls. "I feel like I’ve got some unfinished business to take care of," says Stewart, whose goals include winning a district title and advancing to the championship finals at state. "I’m ready." Phoenix coach Harry Mondale, who jokes that Stewart "looked like a mud fence on a rainy day" when he competed at the district and state tournaments last year, thinks he’s headed for the success he yearns for. "Doug is really tough on his feet, and that can win you a lot of matches in the big tournaments," Mondale says. "He’s not a real powerful kid, but his shots are low and well- calculated." Mondale compares Stewart to Davey May, who finished fourth at the 3A state tournament in 2004 at 112 pounds. "I would put Stewart in that same category of not having bulging muscles," Mondale says. "But when you have good technique and you’re willing to mix it up, you definitely can be successful." Stewart works out with Nick Amuchastegui, a two-time district champion who placed second in state last year. Amuchastegui competes at 145. "He’s a great workout partner because he never slacks off," Stewart says. "We go at it hard and help each other out. And if something doesn’t feel right, we’ll stop and talk about it. We coach each other." When he’s not at wrestling practice or at school, Stewart can usually be found fishing on the Rogue River or bow hunting in the foothills of the Cascade or Siskiyou mountains. He bagged his first deer when he was 14. Phoenix will be hunting for its 24th district title in Mondale’s 38 years as coach this weekend, but the Pirates may have to take a back seat to Illinois Valley for the second straight year. North Valley could also be in the running for the title. The Cougars boast five No. 1 seeds, while North Valley has four and Phoenix two. But the Pirates’ bigger problem is a lack of depth. They’ll take just 15 wrestlers (out of a possible 28) to the district meet. "Illinois Valley has more numbers, plus we’ve got a lot of young kids," Mondale says. "But we’ve got the potential to qualify seven or eight kids for the state tournament." Stewart is among Phoenix’s top hopefuls. If he wins another district title, he’ll have reason to whoop it up. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail Catching his breath ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s