📣 21CCLC Saturday Night Live is BACK at Cass Lake-Bena 📣
Looking for something fun, free, and family-friendly? Come out to Saturday Night Live at Cass Lake-Bena High School!
🌟Every SNL event will offer something new and exciting for all ages. Whether you're into art, sports, STEM, or just great food and great company. There's something for everyone!🌟
🎨 Open Art Studios
🏀 Open Gym & Weight Room
🧵 Beading & Sewing
🔬 STEM Saturdays
🎤 Special Presenters
🍽️ Shared Meals
🤝 Community Connections
…and more!
NEW Day Sessions:
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Evening Sessions:
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
📍 Location: Cass Lake-Bena High School
📅 Dates Vary Each Month (see flyer for details!)
Open to all ages (Youth under 12 must be accompanied by an adult)
If any community resources or local programs would like to be part of any of these dates, please reach out to Del Sorenson at (218) 335-2204 ext. 6007 or 21stcentury@isd115.net
🏈 Football
📍 Crookston High School
🕕 6:00 PM – Varsity vs. Crookston
🌟 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
Western Bank of Cass Lake-Bena, Enbridge, and Bessler Electric — your support powers Panther Athletics and our community!
Let’s hit the road and bring that Panther Pride to Crookston tonight! 🐾
#PantherPride #GoPanthers
🏈 Football
📍 Cass Lake-Bena HS Football Field
• 4:30 PM – JH vs. Kelliher/Northome
🏐 Volleyball vs. Nevis HS
📍 Cass Lake-Bena Schools
• 4:45 PM – JH (MS Gym)
• 6:00 PM – JV (HS Gym)
• 7:00 PM – Varsity (HS Gym)
(No C-Team Game tonight)
🎟️ Tickets: https://www.vancoevents.com/us/eventlist/clbtickets?embed
📺 Live Stream: https://fan.hudl.com/usa/mn/cass-lake/organization/79119/cass-lake-bena-high-school
🌟 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
Western Bank of Cass Lake-Bena, Enbridge, and Bessler Electric — thank you for your support of Panther Athletics and our community!
Let’s show up, cheer loud, and back our Panthers! 🐾
#PantherPride #GoPanthers
Cass Lake-Bena Schools is looking for a Head Cheer Coach to lead our cheer program and inspire Panther spirit this season!
✨ What We’re Looking For:
A positive, energetic leader
Strong communication and organizational skills
Passion for working with student-athletes
Ability to create a supportive, inclusive team environment
📅 Season: 2025–26 School Year
📍 Location: Cass Lake-Bena Schools
👉 How to Apply:
Applications can be found here: https://www.clbs.k12.mn.us/page/employment
Help us build school pride and support our athletes join the Panther family today!
#PantherPride #GoPanthers #CoachingOpportunity
Cass Lake-Bena High School will be conducting an ALICE safety drill this Friday, Sept. 19. This is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure students and staff are prepared in the event of a school emergency.
🛡️ As part of the drill, teachers will lead classroom discussions to explain ALICE procedures (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) in an age-appropriate and supportive way.
✅ The drill will be carefully supervised and will NOT include any simulated violence or threats.
We encourage families to talk with their students and reach out with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your continued support in keeping CLBHS a safe place to learn! 💙
📞 For more info, contact the school office at 218-335-2204.
The Panthers traveled to the Pine River-Backus meet on September 11th showing grit, integrity, and determination over a challenging course that twisted through narrow woods, crossed a bridge, and navigated roots, sand, and tight turns.
There was a small hiccup with the timing, but true to who they are, the Panthers handled it with honesty and sportsmanship.
Fabian Wittner – 9:41.2 (2500m / 1.55 miles, 6:15/mile pace)
The first race of the day was the boys’ Junior High 2500 meters, where Fabian put on a show. He went out with the leaders and flew through the course. In the final 100 meters, he unleashed his lethal panther kick—the kind rival runners fear. From 12 seconds back, he stormed forward, closing the gap to just 0.3 seconds at the line—an impressive improvement from the last meet, where he finished six seconds behind Cromwell’s Christopher Gatica. As Fabian surged forward, Christopher responded to his coach’s urgent shouts, the tension mounting as he realized Fabian was closing fast, hunting him down. When the timing company first announced Fabian as the winner, it was Fabian himself—true to his character—who pointed out the mistake. Panthers, unlike housecats, know that integrity matters more than medals. The rightful champion was Christopher Gatica and Fabian wanted everyone to know that.
Lily Chessmore – 27:11 (5K / 3.1 miles, 8:44/mile pace)
Next up, the lone Panther girl, Lily Chessmore, came out strong, opening her mile at 8:08 pace and cutting her 5K time from 30:15.4 to 27:11.4. Lily excels on the speech podium, and now she’s finding that same confidence on the cross country course, learning the 5K distance after running the JH distance of 2 miles last year. When asked how she felt, she told her coach she could have pushed a bit harder—a reflection that shows self-awareness. She went out over a minute faster in the first mile, leading to a tremendous three-minute improvement and showing that it’s okay not to have everything figured out, with each race serving as a step toward personal growth.
Markis Washington – 19:49.5 (5K / 3.1 miles, 6:23/mile pace)
Markis returned to cross country as competitive as ever—“holding back” has never been in his vocabulary. On his first day back at practice, Coach told him to run at 7/10 effort, and his look said it all: “You really expect me to hold back?” Starting in 15th, he picked off runners one by one, finishing 11th out of 46 runners—just six seconds shy of 10th place and a medal. Like Fabian, there was a small timing review, and Markis handled it with integrity, saying he’d get it next time. Amongst ninth graders, he was the second to finish, with the rest of the athletes ahead of him being juniors and seniors making his late start to the season all the more impressive. Just last year, as an 8th grader, Markis ran 19:47.5, and he picked up right where he left off with a time of 19:49. When told he matched his old pace, he nodded and smiled saying “Oh yeah.” Starting the year where he finished last season is a strong sign—for Markis, there are no limits.
Zane Halse – 23:17.6 (5K / 3.1 miles, 7:31/mile pace)
Zane has improved tremendously since last season and always pushes himself in practice. Over the summer, he ran a 10K to show that the 5K distance would be no sweat. He tried cross country spikes for the first time and realized they weren’t right for his flat feet—still, he stayed tough and focused, proving that despite obstacles and discomfort, perseverance and mental toughness can carry you through challenges, finishing in 23:17 for a pace of 7:31 per mile.
Kenny Litzau – 26:26.5 (5K / 3.1 miles, 8:32/mile pace)
Kenny, a gamer on and off the course, finished just six seconds shy of last week on a sandier, tougher course that tested every runner’s footing. He maintained his pace and composure while correcting his posture and refining his form over the final stretch, showing steady improvement and Panther perseverance. Kenny Litzau, came ready to “siege the day,” his new catch phrase inspired by his favorite video game, Rainbow Six Siege.
The Panthers left Pine River proud—not just of times and places, but of the way they competed and carried themselves. Integrity, effort, and Panther pride led the way.
We value your input and want to ensure that our school’s activities meet the needs and interests of our students, families, and the broader community. Your feedback will help us evaluate and improve the programs and opportunities we provide.
This survey will take just a few minutes to complete, and your responses will remain confidential. We encourage honest and constructive feedback to help us make informed decisions about the future of our extracurricular offerings.
Thank you for your time and for being an important part of our school community!
The survey can be done here!
https://forms.gle/1iF9KJ8aJxsFBa5TA
🏃♀️🏃♂️ Cross Country @ Twin Pines Golf Course (Bagley)
• 4:30 PM – Boys & Girls, Varsity & JH
🏐 Volleyball vs. Mahnomen-Waubun @ CLB HS Gym
• 4:45 PM – C Team
• 5:45 PM – JV
• 6:45 PM – Varsity
🎟️ Tickets: https://www.vancoevents.com/us/eventlist/clbtickets?embed
📺 Live Stream: https://fan.hudl.com/usa/mn/cass-lake/organization/79119/cass-lake-bena-high-school
🌟 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
Western Bank of Cass Lake-Bena, Enbridge, and Bessler Electric your support helps make Panther Athletics possible!
Let’s bring the energy and show our Panther Pride tonight!
#PantherPride #GoPanthers
📢 REMINDER 📢
Our next 21st Century Community Learning Center (21CCLC) Grant Advisory Meeting is TONIGHT!!
⏰ Time: 5:00pm – 7:00pm
📍 Location: Cass Lake-Bena High School Culture Room
This meeting is a great opportunity to come together to explore community partnerships, learn more about the 21CCLC grant, and discuss the sustainability of after-school programs that directly benefit our students.
What is 21CCLC (21st Century Community Learning Centers)?
The Minnesota 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC) program provides after-school and summer learning opportunities that support students academically, socially, and emotionally. It also offers enriching activities and safe spaces. Your ideas, feedback, and participation are essential in shaping how this program impacts our students and strengthens our community.
Who can attend these meetings?
Parents, staff, students, and community members can join as we discuss program updates, share ideas, and work together to support opportunities for our students.
A light meal will be provided - umbe omaa wiisinin!🙂 We hope to see you there! If you have any questions, please email us at 21stcentury@isd115.net.
📣 Youth Sports Weekend Schedule 9.20.25🐾
We’ve got some exciting matchups this weekend here’s what’s happening for Panther Youth Sports:
🏐 5th–6th Grade Volleyball @ Pillager
Gym Location:
High School Gym – Hwy 1 → Daisy Avenue → Door O, right into commons area, gym on the right
🏈 3rd–4th Grade Football @ CLB
Games will be played at the HS Football Field and Practice Field
🚫 No Games This Week
3rd–4th Volleyball
5th–6th Football
📋 Full Youth Sports Schedules can be found here:
👉 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PxK6QH7eVgsBeXRafk5kBU_RcztOqBGf?usp=sharing
Thank you, families and fans, for supporting our student-athletes let’s make it a great weekend of Panther Pride!
#PantherPride #YouthSports #GoPanthers
🌟 Celebrating Our Sponsors! 🌟
We are so excited to highlight the amazing sponsors of CLB Athletics!
If you were at the Panther Football game vs. Nevis, you may have noticed the brand-new sponsor signs at the field. These beautiful signs were made right here in Cass Lake by New Era Threads (Jess & Gabe Haaland) and they did an incredible job! 👏
These signs proudly showcase the strong partnerships we’ve built with:
🤝 Enbridge
🤝 Bessler Electric
🤝 T-Mobile
Because of these partnerships, CLB was awarded:
🏈 $6,000 for new football equipment
🎵 $3,000 from Bessler Electric for our new sound system
🎵 $13,000 from Enbridge for our new sound system
That’s a total of $22,000 in support for our Panthers a huge investment in our students and programs! 🙌
We are so grateful for these collaborations that strengthen both our school and our community. Let’s keep building together, Panthers! 🐾
#PantherPride #GoPanthers #CommunityStrong
🏐 Volleyball
• 4:30 PM – JH vs. Bagley @ Bagley Elementary School
🌟 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
Western Bank of Cass Lake-Bena, Enbridge, and Bessler Electric thank you for powering Panther Athletics and our community!
Let’s cheer loud and proud Go Panthers!
🏐 Volleyball
• 8:30 AM – Varsity Invitational @ Walker-Hackensack-Akeley HS
• 9:00 AM – JH Tournament @ Bagley HS
🌟 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
Western Bank of Cass Lake-Bena, Enbridge, and Bessler Electric thank you for your incredible support of Panther Athletics and our community!
Let’s go, Panthers! Show your pride and cheer on our teams today!
#PantherPride #GoPanthers #WesternBankGameDay
Hello Youth Sports Families,
A couple quick updates:
1) Schedules & Game Info
All current youth schedules and details are posted here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HgJiPvcn9KHxVFYZCjclXgMquPYnCuOBsNNvwMI9928/edit?usp=sharing
2) 3rd–4th Grade Volleyball (Program-Only Change)
Because of our large participation numbers and travel distances, we’re trimming a few dates for 3rd–4th grade volleyball only. All other sports/schedules remain the same.
Sept 27: 4th grade only will travel to WHA.
Oct 11: 3rd & 4th grade will play together at Cass Lake-Bena.
Other listed dates remain as posted in the master doc.
3rd–4th Volleyball Scrimmage Schedule (Fall 2025)
Start Time: 9:00 AM
Sat, Sept 20: No teams
Sat, Sept 27: WHA (4th grade only travels)
Sat, Oct 4: No teams
Sat, Oct 11: Cass Lake-Bena (3rd & 4th together)
Thank you for your flexibility and support—these adjustments help us keep play competitive, safe, and manageable for families.
