Manor Stifles Elgin in Battle of 290
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Updated: August 29, 2026
Mustangs Renew Rivalry With Win Over Wildcats
Last year, the Manor Mustangs went 0-10. Following the winless season, Head Coach James Keller was relieved of his duties ultimately taking a position as Running Backs Coach at rival Elgin --with several players following him. Enter Peter Hopkins, who took the reins in Manor to begin a complete rebuild.
Against that backdrop, the Mustangs and Wildcats renewed the Battle of 290 after a decade-long hiatus. With the events surrounding Keller's departure, however, the stakes were raised. "This was more than a rivalry. It was about pride. It was personal," Coach Hopkins said. The Mustangs parlayed those stakes into a 30-14 victory over the Wildcats.
A 90-minute lightning delay only added to the anticipation. However, once the game finally started, both teams had to shake off some early rust. The Mustangs moved the ball inside Elgin's 10-yard line on their first two possessions, but both drives ended in fumbles. The Wildcats, meanwhile, struggled to gain momentum throughout the night. At several points, the intensity of the rivalry boiled over on the field with multiple unsportsmanlike conduct and personal foul penalties.
The game's first points came when the Elgin punter muffed the ball in the end zone and had to fall on it for a safety. On the ensuing drive, Manor running back Andre Terry caught a 17-yard pass for the game's first touchdown. The Mustangs successfully converted the two-point attempt for a 10-0 lead. Later in the second quarter, Terry ran the ball 42 yards on a fake punt and punched the ball in two plays later to put Manor up 18-0 going into halftime.
On the opening drive of the second half, the Wildcats got on the scoreboard. Trey Flores intercepted a pass from Manor quarterback Semaj Gordon and returned the ball 80 yards for a touchdown. Mustang running back Tiraun House quickly responded with a 29-yard touchdown run to put the Mustangs up 24-6. Early in the fourth quarter, Manor offensive lineman Joeray Rivera caught a one-yard touchdown pass; but the Wildcats ran back a fumble on the two-point conversion for two points of their own. Elgin running back JC Keller got the final score with a one-yard touchdown run.
Players pictured
Manor
#5 Andre Terry
#8 Semaj Gordon
#26 Deonte Green
#34 Joeray Rivera
#53 Franco Rodriguez
Elgin
#0 Andre Simmons
#4 Cristian Soto
#11 Trey Flores
#12 Wyatt Cooper
#17 Dontavious Robinson
#22 Willie Ray
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