For four weeks, the Orlando Storm had been the United Football League’s measuring stick, an unbeaten 4-0 outfit that averaged more than 30 points per game and looked every bit the playoff favorite. On Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium, that aura vanished under the weight of a St. Louis Battlehawks team that refused to be intimidated.
The Battlehawks (3-2) built a commanding 25-0 lead through three methodical quarters and then weathered a frantic late rally to hand the Storm (4-1) their first defeat of the 2026 season, 25-17. It was the kind of statement win that can reshape a league narrative.
St. Louis quarterback Harrison Frost orchestrated the early dominance, blending precision passing with timely scrambling. He finished 20-of-31 for 185 yards, one touchdown pass and a pair of interceptions, but the turnovers came after the game was largely decided. More importantly, Frost added a 4-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter that pushed the lead to 25-0 and served as a microcosm of the Battlehawks’ balanced attack.
Running back Jarveon Howard provided the ground complement with 12 carries for 59 yards, while Kylin James punched in a 2-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Tight end James Bostic hauled in an 8-yard scoring strike from Frost in the second. Kicker Ryan Sanborn, despite missing two extra points, converted field goals of 36 and 40 yards to help St. Louis close the half with an 18-0 advantage.
Orlando’s offense, led by quarterback Jack Plummer, was unrecognizable in the first half. The Storm went three-and-out on their first two possessions, managed just 109 total yards before halftime and converted only 3 of 14 third downs for the game. Plummer was harassed throughout, sacked three times for 30 yards in losses.
The Storm finally awoke in the third quarter. A 10-play, 82-yard drive ended with Plummer’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Elijhah Badger, and two minutes later Elijah Dotson scored on a 1-yard plunge after a blocked punt gave Orlando short field. Suddenly it was 25-14. A 32-yard field goal by Michael Lantz with 1:56 left pulled Orlando within eight, but that was as close as it would get.
St. Louis’ defense, one of the league’s stingiest units, slammed the door. Safety Jordan Mosley led the team with eight tackles and delivered the game-sealing pressure on fourth-and-13, forcing an incompletion that ended Orlando’s final realistic threat. The Battlehawks controlled the clock for 31:51 and outgained the Storm 295 yards to 211.
Postgame, Orlando coach Anthony Becht was succinct. “You can’t win them all,” he said. The loss was a reminder that even the most talented rosters can be humbled by execution, discipline and a visitor willing to play four quarters of complementary football.
For St. Louis, the victory feels like validation. Head coach Ricky Proehl’s squad had shown flashes in the first four weeks but struggled with consistency. Saturday’s performance—dominant early, resilient late—suggested the pieces are coming together at the right time. With the season at its midpoint, the Battlehawks sit firmly in the playoff conversation.
The Storm, meanwhile, will regroup. A 4-1 record is hardly cause for alarm, and their talent remains undeniable. But nights like this serve as the first true test of championship mettle. For one evening in Orlando, the Battlehawks passed that test with flying colors.
United Football League on X (formerly Twitter): “Ricky Proehl and the @BattlehawksUFL hand Orlando their first L of the season 🙌Coach is alongside @MaxBrowne4 post W ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/rRB1yQYKcb / X”
Ricky Proehl and the @BattlehawksUFL hand Orlando their first L of the season 🙌Coach is alongside @MaxBrowne4 post W ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/rRB1yQYKcb
