Houston Gamblers fall 21-15 to St. Louis Battlehawks

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (May 24, 2026) The Houston Gamblers came up just short Sunday evening, falling 21-15 to the St. Louis Battlehawks at Shell Energy Stadium in a hard-fought contest.

Houston started fast and looked ready to keep its playoff hopes alive. After forcing St. Louis to turn the ball over on downs, quarterback Hunter Dekkers led an early scoring drive. He connected with Jalen Cropper for a 27-yard gain before finding JaVonta Payton in the end zone for Houston’s first touchdown of the night.

The Gamblers later added a field goal after a big 42-yard run from Marcus Yarns, taking a 9-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Houston’s defense also made big plays in the first half. Eli Walker forced a fumble that was recovered by Kary Vincent to stop a St. Louis drive.

But the Battlehawks changed the game just before halftime. Quarterback Manny Perez threw a touchdown pass to Hakeem Butler with only seconds left in the half, giving St. Louis a 10-9 lead.

Houston answered in the third quarter when quarterback John Rhys Plumlee (shown above) helped lead a quick touchdown drive capped by a scoring run from Kirk Merritt.

The Battlehawks pulled ahead for good late in the game with a touchdown and a field goal. Houston had one final drive, but St. Louis made a final defensive stop to secure the win..

The loss eliminated Houston from a possible playoff slot, while the Battlehawks assured their position in the UFL semifinal playoffs