St. Louis Battlehawks hang on to beat San Antonio Brahmas in AJ McCarron’s return
Saturday’s regular-season finale between the San Antonio Brahmas and St. Louis Battlehawks came down to a missed field-goal attempt with eight seconds to play.
But the teams’ rematch next week in the United Football League playoffs will be contested in St. Louis instead of San Antonio because of a 2-point conversion attempt that lasted three trips to the line of scrimmage and two video reviews and made the difference in the Battlehawks’ 13-12 victory.
When wide receiver Jontre Kirklin held on to a throw from quarterback Quinten Dormady for a 37-yard touchdown reception, the visiting Brahmas trailed by one point with 2:06 to play.
San Antonio chose to go for a 2-point conversion from the 5-yard line in an attempt to take the lead, and the Brahmas moved even closer on a neutral-zone infraction against St. Louis.
Kirkland caught Dormady’s pass on the 2-point conversion throw, but officials ruled the Battlehawks had kept the football from crossing the goal line. But video replay overturned that ruling and awarded 2 points to the Brahmas.
San Antonio’s 14-13 lead lasted only long enough for another video review. St. Louis coach Anthony Becht used his super challenge, telling officials that Brahmas tackle Julie’n Davenport had been an ineligible receiver downfield on the completion. Video review upheld the challenge, and the 2-point conversion was taken off the board, restoring the Battlehawks’ 13-12 lead.
San Antonio lined up at the 7-yard line for another try at the 2-point attempt. This time, linebacker Willie Harvey separated wide receiver Justin Smith from Dormady’s pass in the end zone to preserve the Battlehawks’ one-point lead.
“That’s a collaboration of all our staff coming together, constantly looking at things,” Battlehawks coach Anthony Becht said of his challenge, “and I finally got one right. That’s been a struggle, trying to pick out the right play to use it on, and we were able to get a big play, and then, obviously, the defense made the stop on that 2-point conversion.”
After a punt, San Antonio started its final series at its 26-yard line with 50 seconds to play. Two completions by Dormady – the first caught by Smith off his foot, and a pick-six that turned into a defensive-pass -penalty against cornerback Chris Payton-Jones, a wasted-snap 1-yard inbounds completion and a neutral-zone infraction had the Brahmas at the St. Louis 33.
Kemari Averett, a 6-foot-6 Battlehawks tight end, had blocked a 59-yard field goal attempt by Ryan Santoso at the end of the first half. At the end of the second half, Santoso got a 51-yard attempt away, but his low, hooking kick missed left.
That left St. Louis and San Antonio tied with 7-3 records at the top of the XFL Conference, and the Battlehawks will host the conference-championship game because they swept the season series with the Brahmas. St. Louis also defeated San Antonio 31-24 on April 14.
The Battlehawks and Brahmas will square off again at 6 p.m. CDT June 9 at the Dome at America’s Center. FOX will televise the game.
The winner will advance to the United Football League Championship Game on June 9 in St. Louis.
The game marked the return of Battlehawks quarterback AJ McCarron. The former Alabama All-American had missed the previous two games with an ankle injury, and after his first seven passes on Saturday, McCarron had one completion for minus-1 yard and one interception, which came after St. Louis had recovered a first-quarter fumble by San Antonio running back Morgan Ellison at the Brahmas 10-yard line.
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