Battlehawks beat the DC Defenders without their best player in the line-up
The St. Louis Battlehawks opened their season in front of a massive home crowd and delivered a gritty 16-10 victory over the D.C. Defenders in one of the most unique games in early United Football League history. This was without star wide receiver Hakeem Butler.
A packed house of 31,191 fans created a playoff-like atmosphere in St. Louis, once again proving why the Battlehawks remain one of spring football’s most passionate fanbases. And the crowd didn’t have to wait long for history.
The Defenders struck first in record-setting fashion when kicker Matt McCrane drilled a booming 60-yard field goal. Under UFL rules, the kick counted for four points—marking the first successful four-point field goal in league history and giving D.C. an early 4-0 lead.
St. Louis responded immediately. The Battlehawks’ special teams answered with a 58-yard field goal of their own, cutting the deficit to 4-3 and setting the tone for what would become a back-and-forth battle of field position and resilience.
The Defenders regained momentum with an impressive 10-play, 66-yard touchdown drive, finishing it off with a goal-line rushing score to take a 10-3 lead. At that point, it looked like D.C. might seize control—but the game was just getting started.
The second quarter quickly turned chaotic. Both teams struggled to find offensive rhythm, combining for a series of punts, interceptions, and missed field goal attempts. Just before halftime, the Battlehawks managed to capitalize, knocking through a short field goal to tighten the score to 10-6 and keep the home crowd energized heading into the break.
That momentum carried into the second half, where the Defenders’ offense completely stalled. D.C. was unable to establish consistency, finishing the half with three punts, an interception, and a missed field goal—missed opportunities that ultimately swung the game.
Meanwhile, the Battlehawks steadily took control. A key scoring drive late in the third quarter gave St. Louis its first lead of the game, and an early fourth-quarter field goal extended the advantage. With their defense tightening up and the crowd behind them, the Battlehawks closed the door on any comeback hopes, securing the 16-10 win.
The victory not only gave St. Louis a strong start to the season, but it also reinforced the team’s reputation as one of the premier home-field environments in the UFL. Ricky Proehl is my favorite coach of the UFL so far. He is so damn passionate. He was a players coach, you could see it!
Looking ahead, the Battlehawks will face the Arlington Renegades in Week 2, while the Defenders aim to bounce back against the Orlando Aviators. If Week 1 was any indication, both teams, and the league as a whole, are in for an exciting season.
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