Beezer Skime is used to being in the Twin Cities this week.
Ever since his seventh-grade year, he's been a varsity member of the Minnesota state tournament-bound Thief River Falls boys tennis team, which has competed in the mid-week event.
This year, the junior athlete will be sticking around the Twin Cities for the weekend as well.
Not only will Skime compete in the state team tournament and state doubles tennis tournaments, he'll also run in the Minnesota state Class A track and field meet, which follows the tennis events.
Skime, in his first year competing in track, qualified in 3,200 meters with a time of 10 minutes, 17.36 seconds. He also helped the Prowlers win the Section 8A tennis tournament and he teamed with Connor Hutton to qualify for state in doubles.
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It could make for a busy Friday.
Draining routine
Skime could be playing a doubles match at 11:30 a.m. Friday in Minneapolis, while the 3,200 finals are scheduled five hours later in St. Paul.
The full day doesn't concern Skime too much. After all, he ran in the subsection track meet after playing back-to-back section doubles matches.
"It does take a little bit out of you," Skime said. "After the doubles matches, I had time to go home and eat and take a little nap. Then, I went to the track meet and ran the two mile. I was really tired after that, though."
Skime still considers tennis as his top sport. The two-time state cross-country qualifier only decided to participate in track after he found out the subsection meet and the individual tennis competitions were both in his hometown.
"Lynn (Dyer, track coach) was very adamant that tennis would come first and he'd do track whenever he could make it," Prowler tennis coach Corey Thorson said.
Skime only ran in four track meets during the season and didn't attend many practices.
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"I had to do most workouts on my own," Skime said. "I had to do workouts with the track coach whenever I could. When I'd race, I'd just keep up with the people that I ran with in cross country. I knew those were the guys I ran with in cross country.
"Sometimes, it got a little hard. It was busy. Right after tennis practice, you'd have to go run. But I liked it. I really like both sports. They are totally different."
There is one commonality between his track and tennis skills. Skime uses endurance to his advantage. He's a distance runner and a methodical tennis player, who is more content with playing lengthy points than being aggressive and trying to end them early.
"Beezer is all about keeping the ball in play and really working the point," Thorson said. "His partner, Connor, is a lefty with a pretty wicked serve. He ends points a little quicker.
"They are both juniors. This is their fifth trip down here. So, they've seen this before. They've done this before."
Reach Schlossman at (701) 780-1129; (800) 477-6572, ext. 129; or send e-mail to bschlossman@gfherald.com .
Minn. state Class A tennis tournament
When: Team competition is today and Wednesday; individuals are Thursday-Friday.
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Where: Minneapolis.
Area team qualifier: Thief River Falls.
Area singles qualifier: Joel Ryan, East Grand Forks.
Area doubles qualifiers: Logan Engelstad-Micah Rodahl and Beezer Skime-Connor Hutton, Thief River Falls.
Minn. state Class A track meet
When: Friday-Saturday.
Where: Hamline University, St. Paul.
Of note: TRF's Beezer Skime will compete in the 3,200.
