Cantrelle to join the Louisiana Ragin' Cajun XC, track and field programs

The success from Berwick High School graduate Lauren Cantrelle’s senior season this past year has carried over beyond the school year as she signed a national letter of intent following graduation to continue her running career as a member of the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns cross country and track and field squads.
Cantrelle held a signing ceremony at Berwick High School Wednesday to celebrate the occasion.
“This is great,” Cantrelle said. “This is what I want. This is what I wanted to do, so dreams come true.”
Cantrelle capped her Berwick High Career with two top-five finishes at the in Class 3A at the state track and field meet in May, including a state runner-up finish in the 1,600-meter run.
She said she had a few schools contact her during cross country season, and by track and field, she had trimmed her list to a few schools.
“But then by the time I started dropping time towards district and regionals and state, more offers started coming in,” Cantrelle said. “Then it got to be really complicated, but I think I made the right choice. I’m really grateful to have the opportunity.”
The main three she was looking at towards the end were University of New Orleans, UL Lafayette and McNeese.
“UL gave me the best offer, and just the facilities there, the staff, everybody was really welcoming,” Cantrelle said. “The team, all the girls were super nice, so it felt right whenever I went there (to visit).”
Cantrelle, who had battled injuries throughout her first three years of high school, had a solid senior season in track and field in which she broke 31-year-old school records in the mile and two-mile run.
She bettered her mile time later in the season, breaking her record one last time at the state track and field meet with a time of 5:23.31.
Her record time in the 800-meter run is 2:25.7.
She also finished fourth in the 3,200-meter run at the state meet with a time of 12:31.81.
“She’s healthier now, and she did so well enough for them to be able to give her some money to help with schooling, and school is the most important thing,” Berwick Track and Field Coach Paul Gilder said. “She knows that. She’s a great student, a 4.0 girl, but I am glad that she’ll be able to do that dream of (running) cross country and track for (the) UL-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns.”