Battlehawks beat Orlando Guardians by 25 points to maintain XFL playoff hopes

But now, the Battlehawks (7-3) could use some help.

The Battlehawks entered the weekend in a tighter-than-tight battle for the second XFL North playoff berth with the Seattle Sea Dragons, who are 6-3 heading into a Sunday night showdown with the visiting Vegas Vipers (2-7). That game kicks off at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

A Vegas win Sunday sends the Battlehawks to the playoffs. But if St. Louis and Seattle both finish 7-3, the fourth tiebreaker would be the best combined ranking among division teams in points scored and points allowed. And that leans heavily in the Sea Dragons’ favor.

“First off, I want to thank the players; it’s tough to ask your guys to try and keep scoring like that when they’re banged up the way they are,” Battlehawks coach Anthony Becht said after an emotional start to his postgame comments. “To score 50 or whatever points — that’s a lot. I know it’s great for the fans, it’s great to watch (and) it’s exciting TV. But that’s a lot to ask of your team.

“To finish 7-3, we had a great year, and we have a really good team. I want to thank the fans for coming out and supporting them. I know the players really appreciate it, and I’m appreciative, too. ... I hope it works out because these guys deserve it.”

In the win, which produced the most points in the XFL this season, Battlehawks quarterback A.J. McCarron completed 28 of 35 passes for 420 yards and six touchdowns. His top receiver, Hakeem Butler, caught nine passes for 164 yards with two touchdowns and two two-point conversion catches.

“Hell of show by the guys on offense, really all the way around,” McCarron said. “I’m so proud of the big guys up front for opening holes and giving me time. Guys just made a ton of plays; it was a fun day.

“St. Louis will always be a special place for me. Coming back from injury, the way they accepted me, it’s been fantastic. I can’t thank these fans enough. ... Hopefully we’re not done; hopefully we get a chance to play some more in the playoffs.”

The visitors grabbed the lead with 5:15 to play in the first quarter, taking advantage of a Battlehawks offsides call that wiped out a fumble that St. Louis recovered. Two plays later, Orlando quarterback Deondre Francois hooked up with a wide-open Tye Smith on a 27-yard touchdown pass and a 6-0 lead.

St. Louis moved quickly to cut into the lead, picking up 36 yards on an over-the-shoulder grab by Steven Mitchell Jr. on a pass from McCarron. But the drive stalled, forcing the Battlehawks to settle for a 35-yard field goal from Donny Hageman that made it 6-3.

An interception by St. Louis’ Brandon Sebastian helped set up the Battlehawks’ next drive. Highlighted by a 29-yard reception and run down the sideline by Butler on a pass from McCarron, St Louis went up 9-6 when Kareem Walker scored on a 1-yard run on fourth down with 12:27 to play before halftime.

With momentum seemingly in St. Louis’ favor, the Guardians came up with a huge play. On a fourth-and-15 at their 16-yard line, Orlando punter Mac Brown lofted a pass to Jordan Thomas, who made the catch, eluded a pair of defenders, and raced 84 yards for a touchdown that put the visitors on top 12-9 with 9:35 to play in the first half.

St. Louis responded quickly to regain the lead. Two plays after a 34-yard pass from McCarron to Darrius Shepherd, McCarron found Butler for a 7-yard touchdown with 6:36 to play. On the try for two, McCarron fired a pass to Marcell Ateman to put the home team on top 17-12.

Orlando quarterback Quinten Dormady came off the Orlando bench to complete his first pass of the afternoon, a 45-yard touchdown to K.D. Cannon. Dormady then fired a two-point pass to Charleston Rambo to put the visitors up 20-17 with 6:19 to play before halftime.

Again, St. Louis showed its mettle.

Two plays after a Butler recovered his fumble on a 25-yard reception, McCarron threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Sutherland. McCarron followed with a two-point pass to Butler, whose dive for the pylon with 55 seconds to play put the halftime score at 25-20 for the Battlehawks.

St. Louis stretched its lead to 33-20 to start the second half as McCarron fired a 13-yard touchdown pass to Mitchell and then hooked up with Mitchell again on the two-point play with 9:32 to play in the third quarter.

The Battlehawks added to their lead in a hurry when Butler caught a pass over the middle and raced down the sideline for a 66-yard touchdown. St. Louis was up 39-20 with 4:08 to play in the third quarter.

After a Lukas Denis interception, the Battlehawks stretched their lead to 45-20 on a 4-yard scoring pass from McCarron to Shepherd with 10:55 to play.

With their only points after halftime, the Guardians made it 45-28 with 5:10 to play in the third quarter, getting a 6-yard touchdown pass from Dormady to Rambo followed by a two-point pass from Dormady to Cannon.

A 50-yard kickoff return by Shepherd and a 30-yard pass from McCarron to Shepherd set up the Battlehawks’ final score of the afternoon: a 16-yard touchdown pass from McCarron to Mitchell. A two-point pass from McCarron to Butler gave St. Louis the 53-28 victory.

“We didn’t want a shootout, but we gave up a few too many points in that first half,” Becht said. “But we calmed down in the second half and played much better.”