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Media Kit: Archived Press Releases
Shell Shockers Head to Nashville with Teenage Forward on Hot Streak
July 14, 2006The New Orleans Shell Shockers travel to the Nashville Metros on Saturday confident their teenage sensation can shoot them to victory. Jarrett Gautreau, who only turned 19 last month, has been the find of the season after exploding to life with five goals in the last three games.
He scored twice to secure a 2-1 win on his first start for the Shell Shockers in their historic first-ever victory against the El Paso Patriots. He followed up his dream debut with a consolation in the 2-1 loss to the Laredo Heat, and then bagged another brace in the 3-2 defeat to the same side the next night.
In fact the former high school State MVP from Prairieville, near Baton Rouge, is the only Shell Shocker to have found the net in the last four games. Before being named in the starting line-up to face El Paso he had made just two brief second-half substitute appearances all season.
But the Dutchtown High School graduate, recruited by Shell Shockers’ captain PJ Kee who spotted him playing in Baton Rouge, is modest about his startling late-season success. The winger-turned-striker said: “I’ve just been lucky.
“I’ve only had about five or six chances and I’ve been in the right place at the right time to take them. It’s the greatest feeling in the world when you score and I’m looking forward to trying to get three more wins to close out our campaign.”
The Shell Shockers are hoping Gautreau’s golden vein of goals continue as they are taking a virtual second-string side to Tennessee. Kee is suspended after his sending off in the last match against Laredo, and midfielder Chris Denuna is also serving a one-game ban for picking up five yellow cards this year.
Nick Lambert, Gannon Webb and Eric Diaz also miss the trip, as will long-term injured players Fred Mince, Austin Gunning and Dwayne Jones. Head Coach Kenny Farrell is barred from the touchline as well as he too was dismissed against Laredo.
The Shell Shockers have lost to the Metros the last three times they have met, but they are hopeful they can end the run as their hosts are yet to win at home this campaign. After two narrow back-to-back losses at home to Laredo the Shell Shockers end their season with three away games. Saturday’s fixture is followed by a trip to Texas next weekend to play the Austin Lightning and the DFW Tornados.