The St. Louis Battlehawks triumphed over the Memphis Showboats, 19-9, at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in front of 4,215 fans. QB Max Duggan finished with 57 rushing yards over 10 attempts and 15-23 (65%) pass completion rate for 158 yards, the most he’s recorded in a single-game since the 2022 Fiesta Bowl with TCU vs Michigan.
WR Jarveon Howard started off the second St. Louis drive with a 14-yard rush, immediately followed by a 29-yard scramble by Duggan to the MEM 4. St. Louis was then pushed back 5-yards due to an Illegal Formation penalty on OT Brad Ashmore. Duggan finished it off with a 7-yard touchdown rush to put the first points on the board. Duggan then handed the ball off to Howard once again for a successful 2-yard rush on the one-point attempt making the score 7-0.
Due to a well-timed tackle by OLB Carson Wells to force a turnover on downs, St. Louis regained possession on the MEM 39. The Battlehawks were unable to make it to the endzone, turning to K Rodrigo Blankenship for a 53-yard field goal to increase the Battlehawks lead to 10-0.
Memphis started the second quarter by finishing a 12 play, 66-yard drive that resulted in another turnover on downs at the STL 9. WR Jacob Saylors recorded a 25-yard rush to move the ball down field and tie his longest rush of the season from Week 1 at HOU. The Battlehawks punted on fourth down to return possession to Memphis. The Showboats put their first points on the board with a 5-yard touchdown pass to WR Jonathan Adams from QB Dresser Winn to make the score 10-6.
Duggan answered quickly, launching a 29-yard pass to WR Hakeem Butler and a 15-yard pass to WR Gary Jennings Jr. He finished up the drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to WR Jahcour Pearson to make the score 16-6 with 0:40 left in the first half.
In the third quarter, DE Isaiah Mack forced Memphis QB Winn to fumble, giving the Battlehawks the ball at the MEM 12 after a 8-yard fumble return by DT Kyler Baugh. On the resulting drive, Duggan threw an interception to Memphis CB Kyree Woods to give Memphis the ball back. The Showboats used the opportunity to get within field goal range thanks to a 15-yard pass by Winn to WR Kai Locksley and a 30-yard pass to WR Jonathan Adams. Memphis K Matt Coghlin launched a successful 27-yard field goal to narrow the Battlehawks lead to 16-9.
Duggan responded with a 39-yard pass to Jennings to put the ball on the MEM 35 with 1:28 left in the third quarter but the drive ultimately left the team without any more points. Neither team was able to score further until the Battlehawks tallied a 44-yard field goal by Blankenship with 2:57 left on the clock to make the score 19-9. The Showboats were unable to score again after being pushed back to 4th and 36 on the MEM 35, finalizing a Battlehawks win.
The Battlehawks will return to the “Battledome” next week as they take on the Birmingham Stallions at 12 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 17 at The Dome at America’s Center. The game will be televised on FOX. Tickets are available at UFLBattlehawks.com/tickets.