St. Louis, MO, April 6, 2024 – The St. Louis Battlehawks opened their 2024 home slate with a 27-24 victory over the Arlington Renegades in front of 40,317 fans at The Dome at America’s Center. The crowd was a record for a modern spring football league game.
Battlehawks K Andre Szmyt drilled a 22-yard game-winning field goal as time expired to give St. Louis its first win of the season. The kick ended a 7-play, 47-yard drive that covered the final 1 minute, 55 seconds of the game.
In a second half that featured four lead changes, Arlington held a 24-21 lead with 10:55 left in regulation after RB De’Veon Smith scored on a 3-yard rush and Arlington converted the extra-point attempt. St. Louis tied the game on a 47-yard field goal by Szmyt with 6:52 remaining. Arlington K Taylor Russolino missed a 46-yard field goal attempt on Arlington’s next drive to put the Battlehawks in position for their game-winning march.
The Renegades took their first lead of the game, 17-14, with 28 seconds left in the third quarter when QB Luis Perez hit TE Sal Cannella for a 6-yard touchdown pass. Battlehawks WR Darrius Shepherd returned the ensuing kickoff 29 yards to the St. Louis 47 yard line, and WR Marcell Ateman covered the remaining 53 yards on the next play with his second touchdown catch of the day from QB A.J. McCarron. A 1-yard rush by RB Mataeo Durant for the extra point put the Battlehawks back in front, 21-17, with 14 seconds left in the third quarter.
St. Louis entered halftime with a 14-11 lead thanks to a pair of touchdowns on both of the Battlehawks’ second-quarter drives. The Battlehawks took an initial 8-0 lead with 10:36 left in the second quarter when Ateman caught a 24-yard pass from McCarron for Ateman’s first touchdown of the night. McCarron connected with Shepherd for a two-point conversion to complete the drive.
Arlington responded with an 8 play, 80-yard drive that ended when QB Lindsey Scott Jr. scampered for 6 yards into the end zone. Perez found RB Leddie Brown for a two-point conversion that knotted the game at eight. A 1-yard touchdown rush by Durant regained the lead for the Battlehawks on the following drive, highlighted by a 32-yard reception that got the Battlehawks to Arlington’s 1 yard line.
A 52-yard field goal by Arlington K Taylor Russolino shaved St. Louis’ lead to three points at the end of the first half.
The Battlehawks will return to the road for a Week 3 matchup for another XFL Conference matchup when they visit the San Antonio Brahmas for a 2 p.m. CT game on Sunday, April 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The game will be broadcast on ABC and simulcast on ESPN Xtra on SiriusXM Radio.
Postgame Notes - Week 2
- The Battlehawks drew 40,317 fans to The Dome at America’s Center to set a record for a modern spring professional football game.
- WR Marcell Ateman caught two touchdown passes and had a game-high 114 receiving yards, including a 53-yard touchdown catch with 21 seconds left in the third quarter. His 114 yards are the most by a UFL receiver in a single game this season.
- QB A.J. McCarron went 19-for-29 with 248 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He has thrown multiple touchdown passes in nine of his 11 career Battlehawks games and has thrown no interceptions in seven of those games.
- WR Darrius Shepherd had 82 receiving yards and a game-high nine catches, which is his most in 12 career games with the Battlehawks. He finished with a game-high 182 all-purpose yards.
- RB Mataeo Durant rushed for a game- and career-high 105 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts for a 7.4 yards-per-rush average. He also scored on a one-yard, extra-point Attempt.
- ILB Callahan O’Reilly registered his first UFL sack as part of a seven-tackle performance that included five solo tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss.
- OLB Pita Taumoepenu had five tackles (four solo), and led the team with 2.0 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss.