XFL St. Louis Battlehawks

Battlehawks Rally past Vegas in Overtime for Key Victory

Published on April 8, 2023 under XFL (XFL)
St. Louis Battlehawks News Release


The St. Louis Battlehawks scored on both of their plays during the first overtime in XFL history to beat the Vegas Vipers, 21-17, Saturday in front of 35,167 fans at The Dome at America's Center for their third straight victory.

St. Louis (6-2) stopped Vegas' (2-6) first overtime, two-point conversion attempt after regulation ended in a 17-17 tie. The Battlehawks then scored on their first attempt when QB Nick Tiano hit WR Hakeem Butler with a 5-yard connection that put the Battlehawks up, 19-17.

The St. Louis defense again kept Vegas out of the end zone on the Vipers' second attempt. That set up RB Brian Hill for a 5-yard rush on the Battlehawks' second attempt to clinch the victory with a winning four-point margin.

The Battlehawks trailed for nearly the entire game until K Donny Hageman drilled a 34-yard field goal to tie the game, 17-17, with 15 seconds remaining in regulation. St. Louis had trailed by as many as nine points earlier in the fourth quarter before a trick play produced the Battlehawks' longest play from scrimmage of the season.

P Sterling Hofrichter started the play with his first pass of the season on a fake punt with 4:55 left in the fourth quarter. His pass landed in the arms of WR Gary Jennings, who streaked to the corner of the end zone for a 64-yard touchdown reception to pull St. Louis within three points of Vegas' lead, 17-14.

The Vipers had initially built an 11-0 lead with a touchdown, two-point conversion and field goal on their first two drives of the game, which covered a combined 23 plays and 135 yards.

St. Louis first chipped away at the 11-point deficit when Tiano hit Butler for a 32-yard touchdown pass with 10:57 left in the second quarter. Tiano then rushed for 5 yards to add a two-point conversion and cut the Vegas lead to 11-8.

The Battlehawks stayed three points shy of Vegas until the Vipers opened the lead to 17-8 on a 27-yard pass play with 7:09 left in the fourth quarter.

The Battlehawks will continue their three-game homestand with a game against the XFL North Division-rival Seattle Sea Dragons at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, April 16 at The Dome at America's Center. The game will be televised on ESPN. Tickets are available at XFL.com/tickets.

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