Max Duggan scores a touchdown for St. Louis (Photo by the St. Louis Battlehawks and the UFL)
The St. Louis Battlehawks are now 3-2
The St. Louis Battlehawks stopped their two-game skid and got back in the win column Saturday night with a big win over the Panthers. The Battlehawks had a game in front of their great fans and home field in St. Louis and topped the Panthers 32-27 to move to 3-2 on the season. After saying adieu to Manny Wilkins for a while, the Hawks turned to Max Duggan, and the TCU legend delivered.
The Battlehawks’ star kicker, Rodrigo Blankenship, started the scoring in St. Louis with a 44-yard field goal. The Panthers then scored a touchdown and had a 6-3 lead after the first quarter. Max Duggan took the Battlehawks to the end zone with a one-yard touchdown rush, and St. Louis led 9-6. Duggan would get another rushing touchdown, this one from eight yards out, with under a minute to go, and a successful conversion to make it 17-6.
St. Louis led 17-6 at halftime
The Hawks started the second half right with another Blankenship field goal, this one from 28 yards out. The Panthers rallied in the face of a 20-6 deficit. Two touchdown drives and two conversions put them in front 21-20 a few minutes into the fourth quarter.
The Battlehawks responded with a big play: Max Duggan hit Hakeem Butler for a 67-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead, 26-21. The Panthers responded again, leading 27-26 with less than seven minutes remaining in the game.
St. Louis would answer with another big play from Butler, this time it wasn’t Duggan getting Butler the ball, but fellow wide receiver Blake Jackson. The 57-yard touchdown pass and catch would give St. Louis the 32-27 lead that they would maintain and win the game by five.
The Battlehawks Talons
The four biggest stars of the game for St. Louis were Max Duggan, Hakeem Butler, Blake Jackson, and Rodrigo Blankenship. Rodrigo Blankenship has been so automatic and from any distance for St. Louis this season that he’ll be playing in the NFL this fall if he keeps his game at its current level. He’s a perfect 12 of 12 this year, including eight from 40 or more yards out.
Max Duggan did great in his first start. He was 9 of 12 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown. He was just as effective rushing the ball with 10 carries for 70 yards and two touchdowns. If Duggan continues to play like this, the Hawks will be tough to beat.
Hakeem Butler and Blake Jackson were fantastic as well. Butler only had two catches, but they went for 124 yards and two huge second-half touchdowns. Jackson had two catches for 16 yards but also had the game-winning 57-yard touchdown pass.
St. Louis needed that win. This Friday night, they will next play Arlington in The Dome at America’s Center on May 2nd. They will have a quick opportunity to avenge their 30-15 loss to the Renegades last week.
