Renegade Defense Forces Four Turnovers, Seals Win Over Battlehawks

ARLINGTON, Texas (May 25, 2024) –The Arlington Renegades (2-7, 1-4 XFL) played spoiler as they took down the playoff-bound St. Louis Battlehawks (6-3, 4-1 XFL) by a score of 36-22 on Saturday afternoon at Choctaw Stadium. The game had an attendance of 8,545.

The two teams combined for three punts to begin the game, before Arlington forced a fumble on the Battlehawks’ second possession. SS Myles Dorn forced the fumble of Battlehawks WR Blake Jackson, with OLB Will Clarke falling on the loose ball for the Renegades. On the first play of the ensuing possession, QB Luis Perez connected with TE Sal Canella for a 46-yard touchdown to break the ice. The two-point conversion pass to WR Isaiah Winstead made it 8-0, which would be the score after one quarter of play.

The Battlehawks tacked on their first points early in the second quarter, thanks to a 20-yard field goal by PK Andre Szmyt, cutting the Renegades’ lead to five points. Arlington PK Jonathan Garibay would answer with a 38-yard field goal of his own on the next possession to make it 11-3. The offensive fireworks would ignite after that, as a combined 26 points would be scored in the second quarter.

Battlehawks RB Jacob Saylers’ 39-yard run would set up his 11-yard touchdown reception thrown by QB Manny Wilkins on the next drive, but the failed two-point attempt kept the Renegades in front, 11-9. WR Isaiah Winstead then caught a tough 27-yard touchdown from Perez, helping Arlington extend the lead to 19-9 after Winstead ran in the two-point conversion. Winstead finished with four catches for 64 yards and a score. St. Louis would orchestrate an eight-play, 57-yard drive before going to the locker room to claw back, however. Wilkins would score on a one-yard QB keeper as the half expired, but the two-point attempt would fail and the halftime score would be 19-15, in favor of the Renegades.

The Battlehawks would take their first lead of the game to open the second half. A busted play at the end of a 65-yard drive would turn into a five-yard scramble for a touchdown to make it 21-19, in favor of St. Louis. TE Seth Green would help Arlington get the lead right back, converting on a fourth-and-one, then again on a five-yard touchdown catch. Green’s two-point conversion catch would make it 27-21, giving Arlington the advantage after three quarters.

Arlington’s 11-play drive would end on a Garibay field goal from 26 yards out to create a nine point advantage. An interception by Arlington CB Steven Jones Jr. would be the second empty possession of the quarter for St. Louis. The Battlehawks would get another possession with 1:40 in the game, but the first play would be an interception returned 49 yards for a touchdown by FS Joe Powell. On the one-point attempt, St. Louis CB Keylon Kennedy would return an interception to make it 36-22. A third interception of Wilkins in the quarter, this time by Myles Dorn, would seal the win for the Renegades.

Up next, the Renegades travel to the nation’s capital for their final game of the 2024 UFL season. They’ll face off against the D.C. Defenders (3-5, 2-3 XFL) on Sunday, June 2 at 11 a.m. CT at Audi Field. The game will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN Xtra on SiriusXM.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Arlington’s offense posted 345 total yards and picked up 18 first downs. They won the third down conversion battle, going 6-for-14 (43%), while St. Louis went 4-for-11 (36%).
• QB Luis Perez, who leads the UFL in passing yards, went 24-of-36 (66%) for 259 yards, 3 TD, and 0 INT. He finished with a passer rating of 154.6, in addition to picking up eight yards on four carries.
• RB Devin Darrington toted the rock eight times for 41 yards, both of which led the team. 
• TE Sal Cannella finished with a game-high 70 receiving yards on five catches and a TD. He has now scored in four straight games and has six touchdowns on the season.
• TE Seth Green scored his first touchdown of the season and finished with three receptions for 38 yards.
• OLB Donald Payne led the team on defense, finishing with 8 total tackles (5 solo, 3 assist).
• SS Myles Dorn had 1 forced fumble and an INT, and OLB Will Clarke had 1 fumble recovery.
• FS Joe Powell had an INT, his second pick of the year, and returned it for a TD.
• PK Jonathan Garibay went 2-for-2 (100%) on the day, converting from 38 and 26 yards out. He’s now 10-of-11 (90.9%) this season.
• P Marquette King had two punts inside the 20-yard line, increasing his season total to 9, tied for second in the UFL. King leads all UFL punters in average yards per punt, with 48.2.