Orlando Storm's Second-Half Gust Blows Past Kings, Moves to 2-0
Published on April 5, 2026 under United Football League (UFL) News Release
ORLANDO, FL - The Orlando Storm continued their strong start to the season, facing another UFL newcomer, the Louisville Kings. The Storm secured a 19-9 victory to advance to 2-0 on the season, the first team to reach the mark in the 2025-26 UFL season.
Orlando Storm Head Coach Anthony Becht has now recorded 2-0 starts in three of the last four seasons as a head coach.
Quarterback Jack Plummer connected on 18 of his 23 pass attempts, tallying 182 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. Plummer posted a 75 percent completion percentage or better in each of his first two games with the Storm.
The defensive front for the Storm wreaked havoc on the Kings' run game all night, totaling only 33 rushing yards and 2.1 yards per carry. Keshawn Banks and Isaiah Buggs led the charge, each recording two tackles for loss, with Banks posting a sack in the process.
Opening the first quarter, the Louisville Kings got the night started with a 42-yard field goal to force the Storm's first deficit of the season, 3-0, with 7:43 remaining in the quarter.
Storm kicker Michael Lantz topped his career-long field goal with his second 50-plus yard field goal of the season, connecting on a 57-yard strike to even up the match 3-3 to close out the first quarter.
The field goal drives continued into the following quarter, as both teams traded-off three consecutive possessions with a field goal in the second quarter. After a 32-yard field goal put the Kings up 9-6 the Orlando Storm put on a two-minute clinic to score the game's first touchdown.
With 1:56 left in the half, quarterback Dorian-Thompson-Robinson checked into the game after a Plummer injury sidelined the starter for a few plays. Thompson-Robinson left his mark on the game, completing two of his three passes for 19 yards, scrambling for six more on a run up the middle.
Plummer checked back into the game with 38 seconds remaining in the half, connecting with K.J. Hamler for a 41-yard touchdown, the first of the season for Hamler. The fast-paced Storm offense snatched the lead before the half, leading 12-9.
After a streak spanning as long as six-straight drives with a score in the first half, scoring halted during the entire third quarter and part of the final quarter, with a dry spell of nine consecutive drives without a score.
The Storm broke the drought, stringing together an eight play, 70-yard drive, capped-off by a Elijhah Badger 39-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 19-9 with 4:59 remaining in regulation.
The Kings' offense was no match for the Storm defense in the second half, as the defense shut down any chance of the Kings catching up, leaving Louisville scoreless the entire second half.
Mishael Powell recorded the first interception of the season for the Storm, capping off an incredible defensive night. Orlando allowed 27 yards rushing and 189 yards in the air. With 13 unanswered points in the second half thanks to a team effort on both sides of the field, the Storm won 19-9.
The Storm conclude their two-game homestand 2-0, with the first road trip of the season coming up April 10, facing the Louisville Kings for a consecutive week. The match-up is slated for an 8 p.m. kickoff.
United Football League Stories from April 5, 2026
- Stallions Defeated in Final Seconds, Fall to 1-1 - Birmingham Stallions
- Hoyland Boots Houston to First Victory of the Season - Houston Gamblers
- Orlando Storm's Second-Half Gust Blows Past Kings, Moves to 2-0 - UFL
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