THIRTY YEARS' PROGRESS. King athlete has leukemia on the run.

King has been inspired enough to claim the No. 11 spot in the state boys team rankings. The Generals have been led by senior Joe Stilin, [Tim] Hoehnke's best friend on the team and a potential individual state championship contender.

"Joe says at the end of his races, if he's at a point where his body is feeling pain, then he thinks about what I've been going through and he doesn't worry about his pain anymore," Hoehnke said.

But there might be a positive light at the end of the tunnel for Hoehnke. "Right now, the doctors say I'm in remission, which means the cancer is undetectable to their equipment," he said. "But there's a chance it's still in my body. That's why they're continuing the chemo, because if it is still in my body when they stopped, it could come back even stronger."

Researchers have learned a few things since Milwaukee Hamilton's 1972 state basketball tournament run. High schoolers who might not have had their junior prom to look forward to might now have a chance at a full life.