Battlehawks fans pack The Dome for 31-20 win over Columbus

Battlehawks fans pack The Dome for 31-20 win over Columbus

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Battlehawks fans poured into downtown St. Louis hours before kickoff Friday night, turning the area around The Dome at America’s Center into a sea of blue and white ahead of the team’s 31-20 win over the Columbus Aviators.

The atmosphere inside the Dome matched the energy outside as the Battlehawks improved to 5-2 and helped their push toward the playoffs.

“We are here to party and scream our head off,” said Adam Hancock, a Battlehawks fan attending the game.

Behind a balanced offensive effort and two rushing touchdowns from running back Kylin James, St. Louis controlled much of the game before holding off a late fourth-quarter push from Columbus.

Quarterback Luis Perez threw for 195 yards and accounted for two total touchdowns, while James finished with 40 rushing yards on eight carries and found the end zone twice.

The Battlehawks struck early and built momentum with strong passing and well timed rushing plays in the first half. Perez spread the ball around while the St. Louis defense limited explosive plays from Columbus quarterback Jalan McClendon.

Columbus stayed within striking distance behind McClendon, who completed 19 of 25 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Tay Martin hauled in seven receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown, while Keke Chism added a late fourth-quarter score that cut into the St. Louis lead a bit.

The Aviators had their strongest push in the final quarter after Chism caught a 10-yard touchdown pass with just over seven minutes left, but St. Louis piled too much on for the Aviators to be able to mount a comeback.

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The Battlehawks’ connection with fans has remained strong since the franchise first arrived in 2020, filling a void left after former Rams owner Stan Kroenke relocated the NFL franchise to Los Angeles.

“It kind of started with the animosity towards Stan Kroenke but it really for me has developed into something just huge about the love of the game of football,” said Michael Langston, a Battlehawks fan tailgating before Friday’s game. “These guys are some really fun guys that you get to watch every single week.”