Max Duggan rushes the ball for the Battlehawks (Photo by the UFL)
The St. Louis Battlehawks beat the Memphis Showboats Sunday afternoon, 19-9.
Battlehawks Fly
The Battlehawks flew to victory behind former TCU star and Heisman runner-up Max Duggan. Duggan moves to 3-0 as a starter and St. Louis to 5-2 with their win over the Showboats in Memphis. The best kicker in the league, Rodrigo Blankenship, once again provided vital support and stayed perfect on the season. Blankenship was two of two (53 and 44 yards, respectively) in this victory and is 16 of 16 on the season.
Max Duggan
Duggan provided the offense for St. Louis, both passing and rushing the football. Duggan had 57 of the Battlehawks’ 113 rushing yards and the Hawks’ only rushing touchdown. Through the air, Duggan was 15 of 23 for 158 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. His rushing touchdown gave St. Louis the early lead and his touchdown pass to Jahcour Pearson were the key plays of the game. Duggan would finish the game with 215 total yards and two touchdowns. How far St. Louis can go towards a UFL Championship is dependent upon Max Duggan.
Duggan’s rushing touchdown opened the game, giving the Battlehawks a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Blankenship hit a 53-yard field goal that gave St. Louis a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Memphis would answer with a touchdown of their own with 1:50 left in the first half. Instead of settling for a 10-6 halftime lead, the Battlehawks did what they’d done so many times this season and owned the last two minutes of a half. Duggan led them on a 78-yard touchdown drive capped off by his touchdown to Pearson. The second half was a defensive struggle with both teams making a field goal to get the final score to 19-9 for the Battlehawks’ win.
Top Teams Battle
Blankenship and Duggan both should make NFL rosters this fall, with Blankenship making a strong case to be a starter. The St. Louis Battlehawks have won three straight after a 2-2 start. This Saturday, they’ll host the leaders of the USFL Conference and defending UFL Champions, the Birmingham Stallions. This will be the Stallions’ first visit to the Battledome (the Dome at America’s Center) since they beat the San Antonio Brahmas last year for the UFL Championship. Hawks’ fans will give Birmingham grief like no other UFL fan base when they visit St. Louis.
