Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools - #CLBSPANTHERS

NW ALL CONFERENCE: PART 2

While Markis Washington collected his second All-Conference honor, see previous post for the story. The rest of the Panther squad put together some stellar races of their own.

Cross country is not for the faint of heart. The courses can be wet, muddy, and unforgiving. As each race passes, the course becomes more torn up, making every step a little more challenging.

But that's the fun part about cross country. You don't get to choose your conditions. You just have to race through them. Everybody on the start line has to race through them.

The Panthers kicked off the day with Keegan Cooper in the Boys Junior High division.

Keegan is new to cross country, and his season hasn't been without challenges. Between the ups and downs of learning a new sport, he's had to work through some adversity.

At the Pillager Invitational, Keegan earned an impressive eighth-place award. But afterward, he wasn't entirely satisfied with his performance.

Specifically, his finishing kick.

He knew he had more to give in that final stretch, and he wanted to prove it to himself.

And this time, he DID.

Coming down the final stretch, Keegan battled Thief River Falls AA runner Milo Thorn, holding him off at the line by less than a second finishing in 15:11.3 running an average pace of 7:35.5 for 2 miles.

Keegan saw something he wanted to improve, went out there, and DID IT. Self-belief is powerful.

By the time the Boys Varsity division took to the course, the conditions were the worst they had been all day. The ground was torn up, the footing was questionable, and there was no escaping the muddy sections.

But the Panthers went to work.

The second Panther to cross the line was Brayden Dahl. Brayden is one of those athletes who has race day instincts that can’t be taught.

Last year at sections he showed serious guts by trusting his instincts.

He is one to watch because he defies all expectations. He can show up with very little training under his belt and put together a race like no other. There's no denying the talent is there.

Imagine what he could do with consistent training behind it!

Brayden improved from 19:52 to 19:15, dropping 37 seconds averaging a pace of 6:11.

Next to cross the line was Fabian Wittner.

Fabian and Brayden ran the first mile together. They worked together and then took their own paths.

Battling through the torn-up course and coming off illness, Fabian had every reason to feel off his game. Even a minor illness can throw a distance runner off their rhythm, making it hard to return to racing at full strength.

Fabian did not let that stop him.

He bounced back and ran down a runner from Thief River Falls finishing in 19:23.9 for a pace of 6:14/mile.

Kenny Litzau had an INCREDIBLE breakthrough.

Kenny had already spent nearly the entire race running at a pace he'd never maintained for a full 5K before. He was already on his way to a massive personal best.

It would be easy to settle, but he decided he was NOT done.

He dug deep and ran down TWO runners from East Grand Forks.

From 23:45 to 21:26 running 6:53 pace/mile, Kenny took an incredible 2 minutes and 19 seconds off his previous mark!

Kenny had surprised himself. Watching an athlete realize they are capable of more than they ever thought possible is pretty special.

Chucky Kingbird brought the energy of his OWN to the starting line.

What's especially enjoyable about watching Chucky develop as a runner is he brings so much of his own personality into the sport.

Chucky is an absolute ball of energy. He's the kind of teammate who can make everybody laugh and is always there to cheers others on.

He reminds everyone that you can work hard, challenge yourself and have a LOT of fun along with it.

In a short amount of time, Chucky has improved his 5K from 28:59 to 26:53 (8:39/mile), dropping an impressive 2 minutes and 6 seconds!

Next up was William Staples who teamed up with Warroad runner Landon Berggren.

William Staples returned after an ankle injury and brought it home running side by side with Landon. Two runners from different schools, running side by side, encouraging one another, and enjoying the sport together.

And the Panthers made sure they knew they weren't alone! They cheered them on all the way to the finish line, celebrating not just the effort, but the camaraderie that makes this sport so special.

For all the competition, personal records, and battles to the finish, there is also a wonderful sense of camaraderie that comes with Cross Country,

Cross Country is about controlling what you can, pushing through what you can't, and finding joy in the challenge.

CASS LAKE-BENA AREA LEARNING CENTER
Backpack & Blanket Policy Announcement
Effective Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
_________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Cass Lake-Bena ALC Students and Families,
Starting Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the Area Learning Center (ALC) will fully implement the Cass Lake-Bena District policy regarding backpacks and blankets on school grounds.
Policy Guidelines
• Backpacks & Bags: All backpacks, duffel bags, purses and large totes must be stored in assigned student lockers or designated storage areas upon arrival. They will not be permitted in classrooms during instructional time.
• Blankets: Blankets, throws, and outerwear bedding items are not allowed in classrooms or common areas during the school day. Students are encouraged to dress in warm layers if they are concerned about classroom temperatures.
This policy aligns with Cass Lake-Bena School District guidelines to ensure a safe, distraction-free, and supportive learning environment for all students and staff.
We appreciate your cooperation and support in helping us maintain a productive space focused on student success. If you have any questions, please contact the ALC main office.
Thank you,
ALC Administration
Cass Lake-Bena Schools

Reminder: Elementary Panther families, we look forward to connecting with you at Parent–Teacher Conferences on Monday, November 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

There will be no school that day. If you haven’t heard from your child’s teacher, please reach out to them.

We look forward to seeing you and talking about your child’s learning!

NEW 21ST CENTURY PROGRAMS ARE HERE! 📚🎨🎉

Boozhoo,

We're excited to share more after-school opportunities for our Middle School, High School, and ALC students! From creative arts to cultural activities and more, we're looking forward to a fun school year!

Interested in registering your student? Please review our Step-by-Step Registration Process before completing your student's registration form.

Student Registration Links:

📝 Middle School (Grades 6–8): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdX-24-QwV_N5Ufh1Pq8no9P2mHHdmZwwbaHQrayDcq4_kRIw/viewform?usp=header

📝 High School (Grades 9–12): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVl75B1p0c5cCgELSMSzxTuc9R8vsSd9uoNO2GpQfOkmG8-g/viewform?usp=header

📝 ALC (Grades 7–12): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVl75B1p0c5cCgELSMSzxTuc9R8vsSd9uoNO2GpQfOkmG8-g/viewform?usp=header

Please review the attached flyers and November calendars for program details, or visit our website for upcoming activities. We're just getting started, and we look forward to adding more opportunities throughout the school year. That's right! More announcements to come!