The Renegades Fall to the Defenders in a Near-Comeback Battle

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UFL Arlington Renegades

The Renegades Fall to the Defenders in a Near-Comeback Battle

May 18, 2025 - United Football League (UFL)
Arlington Renegades News Release


ARLINGTON, Texas - The Arlington Renegades (3-5) fell to the D.C. Defenders (6-2) in a 33-30 shootout defeat at Audi Field on Sunday.

The action started early when Arlington's special teams set the tone. After a three-and-out on their opening drive, punter Marquette King booted the ball deep into D.C. territory, leading to the Renegades forcing a fumble on the return.. The drive was kept alive by a clutch 3rd-and-14 conversion from running back Dae Dae Hunter, setting up a 30-yard field goal by Lucas Havrisik to give Arlington a 3-0 lead.

But D.C. struck back quickly. On their second offensive play, running back Deon Jackson broke loose for a 57-yard touchdown run, later successfully converting a 3-point attempt to go up 9-3.

Arlington's next drive showed promise with wide receiver Deontay Burnett making key grabs, but a sack and fumble on quarterback Luis Perez ended the threat. Both defenses would trade stops in a gritty end to the first quarter.

The Defenders opened the second quarter with another punch. A touchdown run by running back Abram Smith extended their lead to 15-3. A flurry of events then followed. On the Renegades' next possession, a strip sack appeared to hand D.C. the ball at Arlington's 1-yard line, but a defensive holding penalty wiped it all away after a lengthy review.

Capitalizing on the second chance, Perez orchestrated a scoring drive featuring big gains from Hunter and tight end Sal Cannella, capping it with a back-shoulder touchdown throw to wide receiver Tyler Vaughns. Arlington closed the gap to 15-11.

D.C. continued to show creativity on offense. A trick play left quarterback Jordan Ta'amu wide open for a receiving touchdown, pushing the lead to 21-11. But the Renegades refused to back down. A 48-yard bomb to tight end Seth Green and a 4th-and-1 conversion by Burnett set up Vaughns' second touchdown, a stunning one-handed grab in the endzone to bring it to 21-17 at halftime.

After the break, D.C. struck again, this time on a four-yard touchdown pass from Ta'amu to wide receiver Cornell Powell, making it 27-17. The Renegades answered with another long drive, fueled by chunk plays from wide receivers Isaiah Winstead and JaVonta Payton. Havrisik nailed a 54-yard field goal to keep Arlington in it. After many defensive stops and a nice offensive drive, he hit again from 45 yards out to make it 27-23 heading into the fourth.

D.C. opened the final quarter with another Powell touchdown catch from Ta'amu, stretching the lead to 33-23. Still, Arlington wouldn't go away quietly. Behind a mix of short passes and smart playcalling, Perez led a methodical drive that ended with a quarterback sneak touchdown by backup quarterback Holton Ahlers and a crucial one-point conversion, trimming the lead to 33-30.

With the game on the line, Arlington's defense delivered key stops, forcing a D.C. punt and giving the Renegades one final possession to tie or win. But with time ticking down, a last-second interception sealed Arlington's fate.

The Renegades (3-5) continue their road stint when they head to Memphis for a match against the Memphis Showboats (2-6), Saturday, May 24th, on ABC at 11 a.m. CT.

NOTES

This is the second matchup this season between these two teams. The last time they played, the Renegades fell to the Defenders 37-33 in a come-from-behind win. D.C. leads the series 2-4).

WR Tyler Vaughns had a season-high in receiving touchdowns, coming down with two touchdowns in this game.

QB Luis Perez finished the game going 32-46 (70%) for 350 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, highlighting an impressive 9-11 for 144 yards and two touchdowns in the second quarter.

K Lucas Havrisik continues to shine on field goals, going 3-for-3 from 30, 45, and 54 yards away.

Both TE Sall Cannella and WR Deontay Burnett led the team in receiving yards, each finishing with six receptions for 64 yards.

LB Charlie Thomas III led the Renegades defense in tackles, finishing with seven tackles, including one for loss, and two pass breakups.

The Renegades continue to create turnovers, causing at least one turnover per game.

Check out the Arlington Renegades Statistics



United Football League Stories from May 18, 2025


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