Sports stats



XFL St. Louis Battlehawks

Battlehawks Score League-Record 53 Points, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

April 22, 2023 - XFL (XFL)
St. Louis Battlehawks News Release


The St. Louis Battlehawks erupted with the most prolific offensive performance in XFL history with a 53-28 victory Saturday over the Orlando Guardians with 33,034 fans in attendance for the regular-season finale at The Dome at America's Center.

St. Louis (7-3) scored an XFL-record 53 points against Orlando (1-9) with a season-high 493 yards of total offense. QB A.J. McCarron threw for a season-high 420 yards with a season-high six touchdown passes and no interceptions. Two of McCarron's touchdown passes went to WR Hakeem Butler, who amassed a season-high 164 receiving yards, the most by a Battlehawks receiver this season.

The Battlehawks scored a touchdown on each of their first four possessions of the second half to turn a 25-20 halftime lead into their final 25-point advantage. McCarron connected with WR Steven Mitchell Jr. for two touchdowns and a two-point conversion after halftime. McCarron's second touchdown pass to Butler was a 66-yard score, that marked the team's longest play from scrimmage of the season. A 4-yard touchdown pass to WR Darrius Shepherd with 10:55 to play in the fourth quarter gave St. Louis a 45-20 lead before both teams scored eight points in the final six minutes.

The Battlehawks also posted their highest-scoring quarter of the season with 22 points in the second, but the teams traded the lead four times within the quarter. RB Kareem Walker first scored on a 1-yard rush that put the Battlehawks in front, 9-6, with 12:27 left in the second quarter after DB Brandon Sebastian made his first of two interceptions. A touchdown on a fake punt gave the Guardians back the lead, 12-9, with 9:35 left before halftime. The Battlehawks then moved back in front, 17-12, when McCarron connected with Butler on a 7-yard touchdown pass and WR Marcell Ateman for a 5-yard, two-point conversion.

The Guardians scored a touchdown and two-point conversion to jump ahead, 20-17, with 6:19 left in the first half before McCarron hit TE Jake Sutherland with a 5-yard touchdown pass and Butler two-point conversion to finish the drive with a 25-20 lead at the half.

Orlando scored the first touchdown of the game, but St. Louis responded with a 35-yard field goal from K Donny Hageman with 2:25 to play in the first quarter to cut the deficit in half, 6-3.

The outcome of the Seattle Sea Dragons' home game at 6 p.m. CT Sunday against the Vegas Vipers will determine the Battlehawks' playoff fate. That contest will be televised on ESPN2.

Check out the St. Louis Battlehawks Statistics

• Discuss this story on the XFL message board...

XFL Stories from April 22, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent St. Louis Battlehawks Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central