Cookus goes down in 3rd QT, Showboat fall to Battlehawks 32-17
ST.LOUIS, Mo — The St. Louis Battlehawks scored 12 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 32-17 victory over the Memphis Showboats Saturday afternoon at The Dome at America’s Center.
Memphis (1-3) grabbed an early lead, then withstood and fought back from a first-quarter St. Louis (3-1) barrage. But the Battlehawks put the game away in the fourth quarter.
St. Louis opened the scoring with a 54-yard field goal. But Memphis marched down the field on its opening possession and grabbed a 6-3 lead. Vinny Papale hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass from Case Cookus with 8:46 left in the first to put the Showboats on top 6-3.
St. Louis took advantage of a long kickoff return following Memphis’ touchdown to get in scoring position. Three plays later, A.J. McCarron hit Jacob Saylers for an 11-yard TD, putting St. Louis back on top 9-6. The first play of the ensuing Memphis possession was a Cookus interception returned to the Memphis 41-yard line. Nine plays later, Wayne Gallman bowled into the end zone from two yards out. A successful two-point conversion gave the Battlehawks a 17-6 lead at the end of one quarter.
Memphis absorbed the blow and fought back. Midway through the second quarter, Darius Victor busted into the end zone from 2 yards away. A Cookus-to-Sage Surratt 2-point conversion pass pulled the Showboats back within three, 17-14. Quenton Meeks put Memphis in position to tie the game or take the lead with an interception of McCarron returned to the St. Louis 14-yard line. The Showboats had to settle for a Matt Coghlin field goal and a 17-17 tie.
But St. Louis wasn’t done scoring. McCarron drove the Battlehawks to the Memphis 29-yard line before Andre Szmyt hit a 47-yard field goal to put his team in front 20-17 at the intermission.
After a scoreless third quarter, McCarron threw touchdown passes to Jake Sutherland and Jahcour Pearson in the fourth quarter to take the victory.
Victor led the Memphis offense with 58 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. Cookus was 8-of-12 for 55 yards, one touchdown and one interception before leaving the game with an injury in the second half. Papale’s touchdown catch gave him a score in three of four games so far this season. Lamont McPhatter paced the Showboats’ defense with 11 total tackles, nine of the solo variety, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
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