Almost 40,000 fans greeted the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks and they were rewarded with a thrilling victory over the Arlington [Texas] Renegades.
The official counts were 38,310 fans at The Dome at America’s Center, and a 24-11 win.
QB A.J. McCarron found WR Darrius Shepherd for a 27-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds left before halftime. McCarron then connected with RB Brian Hill for five yards to complete the two-point conversion to put St. Louis in front, 11-3.
Hill rumbled 15 yards to the end zone with 6:48 left in the third quarter to extend the Battlehawks’ lead to 17-3. Hill also caught a 20-yard pass two plays earlier. He finished the game with a season-high 115 all-purpose yards, including a season-high 89 rushing yards that were the most by a Battlehawks player this season.
The Renegades closed to within six points of the Battlehawks with a touchdown and two-point conversion on their first drive of the fourth quarter to make it 17-11, but St. Louis responded six plays later when McCarron and WR Hakeem Butler connected for a 25-yard touchdown. McCarron then hit TE Jake Sutherland on a 2-yard pass for a one-point conversion and build the lead to 13 points, 24-11.
The D.C. Defenders lead the XFL North with a 4-0 record, including a win last week over the Battlehawks on the road. An early-season rematch is at 6 p.m. Saturday March 18 at The Dome.
The game will be televised on FX. Tickets are available at XFL.com/tickets.com.
