Titus Swen #8 of the Memphis Showboats runs the ball during the third quarter in the game against the Birmingham Stallions at Protective Stadium on April 13, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/UFL/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (April 13, 2024) – The Birmingham Stallions (3-0) outscored the Memphis Showboats (1-2) 15-2 in the second half Saturday night at Protective Stadium and pulled away for a 33-14 victory in United Football League action.
The teams traded scores for much of the first half. With Birmingham on top 15-12 and just 14 seconds remaining in the second quarter, the Stallions got a 36-yard pass from quarterback Adrian Martinez to wide receiver Deon Cain. Chris Blewitt capitalized for Birmingham, kicking a field goal as time expired before the intermission to put the Stallions on top 18-12.
From there, it was all Birmingham. The Stallions went on top 21-12 on another Blewitt field goal with 3:28 remaining in the third quarter. Two plays into the fourth quarter, Birmingham found the end zone on a Ricky Person 5-yard run. The next Birmingham possession found paydirt again to make it 33-12. A late safety for the Showboats accounted for the final tally.
Birmingham struck first on a Martinez touchdown pass to tight end Jace Sternberger. The Showboats answered after a Martinez fumble, when quarterback Case Cookus hooked up with wide receiver Vinny Papale for a 23-yard scoring strike to tie the game at 6-6.
A Martinez to Marlon Williams 53-yard touchdown pass made it 12-6 in favor of the Stallions. From there, the teams traded a pair of field goals each to account for the 18-12 halftime score.
Martinez accounted for 378 yards of offense for the Stallions, passing for 334 and rushing for a team-high 44. Cookus was 15-of-22 for 140 yards for Memphis, while Troy Williams came on in relief and finished 11-of-19 for 100 yards.Kyhava Tezino led the way for the Stallions’ defense with nine tackles and one sack. The Showboats’ Jordan Ferguson tallied a game-best 10 tackles and a sack.
The Showboats are in action again Saturday, April 20 at the St. Louis Battlehawks.
MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS POSTGAME NOTES
General
Memphis is now 1-2 on the season
Memphis head coach John DeFilippo is now 8-5 as a head coach
This is the third game DeFilippo has coached with the Showboats.
Offense
Vinny Papale scored first points for Memphis with a 23-yard reception from Case Cookus. It was Papale’s second TD reception of the season.
Cookus’ second quarter pass to Sage Surratt for 23 yards near the end of the second quarter matched his longest completion of the night.
Troy Williams’ 17-hard hookup with running back Titus Swen in the fourth quarter was his longest completion of the night.
Defense
Josiah Bronson tallied a pair of sacks in the contest, his first in the season, a team-high.
Jordan Ferguson led the Showboats with a total of 10 tackles; 7 solo tackles, 3 assists, and 1 sack
Delrick Abrams,Jarey Elder, and Malik Lawal all added seven stops.
Special Teams
Matt Coghlin was 2-for-2 on field goals and is now 8-of-9 on the season.
Coghlin’s 57-yard field goal in the second quarter was his long on the season.
PHOTO GALLERY
Vinny Papale #13 of the Memphis Showboats celebrates after a touchdown during the first quarter in the game against the Birmingham Stallions at Protective Stadium on April 13, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Brandon Sumrall/UFL/Getty Images)
Vinny Papale #13 of the Memphis Showboats celebrates after a touchdown with Jared Thomas #73 during the first quarter in the game against the Birmingham Stallions at Protective Stadium on April 13, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/UFL/Getty Images)
Matt Coghlin #49 of the Memphis Showboats kicks a field goal during the first half in the game against the Birmingham Stallions at Protective Stadium on April 13, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/UFL/Getty Images)
