GAME RECAP: Battlehawks Hand Orlando Storm First Loss of 2026 with Gritty 25-17 Road Win

ORLANDO — The unbeaten Orlando Storm entered Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium as the lone undefeated team in the UFL at 4-0. By the final whistle, the St. Louis Battlehawks had turned that perfect record into a 4-1 mark and handed the Storm their first loss of the 2026 season, 25-17.

St. Louis (now 3-2) controlled the game from the opening drive, building an 18-0 halftime lead before withstanding a third-quarter rally by the hosts. The Battlehawks’ balanced attack, opportunistic defense, and ability to run the clock in the second half proved decisive on the road.

Early Dominance Sets the Tone

The Battlehawks wasted no time asserting themselves. On their first possession, quarterback Harrison Frost orchestrated a methodical drive that ended with Kylin James punching in a 2-yard touchdown run up the middle at the 11:06 mark of the first quarter. Kicker Ryan Sanborn missed the extra point, but St. Louis led 6-0.

Orlando’s offense, led by Jack Plummer, went three-and-out on its first two drives. Frost capitalized again early in the second quarter, finding tight end James Bostic on an 8-yard touchdown pass over the middle. Another missed PAT kept the score at 12-0.

The Battlehawks’ special teams and defense then took over. Sanborn drilled a 36-yard field goal with 3:49 left in the half, followed by a 40-yarder as time expired, sending St. Louis into the locker room with an 18-0 advantage. The Storm had been held without a first-half point despite averaging more than 30 points per game entering the contest.

Frost’s Dual-Threat Night and Orlando’s Late Push

Frost finished 20-of-31 for 185 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions while adding a critical 4-yard scrambling touchdown early in the third quarter. That score — followed by Sanborn’s lone successful extra point of the night — pushed the lead to 25-0 just 12 seconds into the second half.

Orlando finally found the scoreboard midway through the third. Plummer connected with wide receiver Elijhah Badger on a 4-yard touchdown pass, and kicker Michael Lantz added the extra point to make it 25-7. Less than two minutes later, running back Elijah Dotson scored on a 1-yard plunge, cutting the deficit to 25-14 after another successful PAT.

The Storm’s final points came with 1:56 remaining when Lantz nailed a 32-yard field goal, but the comeback attempt fell short. Orlando’s last drive ended with a turnover on downs as St. Louis’ defense stiffened.

What It Means Moving Forward

The Battlehawks snapped Orlando’s perfect start and improved to 3-2, keeping themselves squarely in the playoff picture. For the Storm, the loss ends a historic opening stretch but also serves as a reality check against a physical, well-coached St. Louis squad that has now won two of its last three.