MOORE — On the schedule Moore War is not slated until Sept. 4. But in reality it began last month when Chris Jensen was named the first football coach at Southmoore.

The Sabercats will be joining what was already a fierce rivalry between Moore and Westmoore. But according to Jensen, it will be some time before the Cats can claim a piece of Moore War.

“Initially I don’t think adding another high school should or could affect the Moore War,” Jensen said. “Until we prove ourselves and until we win some games and make either Moore or Westmoore really dislike us, then the Moore War is going to be the biggest one and we are going to have to earn our way into that spot.”

The best way to get invited to the party is to have the best party favors. And in football that means players.

For Jensen finding out who would be a Sabercat was his first priority when he took the job.

“Right now we have to identify our kids first and foremost,” Jensen said. “We don’t have them at one site. The big challenge is finding these kids. We have them at five different sites. We have kids at Westmoore and Brink. We have kids at Moore and Central. And then we have kids here at Highland West. The biggest obstacle at the beginning was figuring out how to contact them all. Now it’s bringing them all together.”

Because of Southmoore’s location, the Cats will be pulling kids from what used to be both Westmoore’s and Moore’s district.

“If your address is in the Southmoore School district that is where you will attend,” Moore Athletic Director Carl Franks said. “The only exception is for seniors. If they live in Southmoore area, but attend Moore or Westmoore, they can choose to stay where they are at or attend Southmoore.”

However, Jensen said there is another group of kids that have a choice.

“The boundaries have been laid out and the seniors have a choice,” Jensen said. “There is another group of kids that will be juniors next year that have a choice. I don’t want to be real specific about that. You have to ask those at the administration building if they want to share that. They are getting close to the time they have to make that choice so we will know for sure who we have.”

But Jensen knows it’s not that easy. There are many deciding factors that athletes and parents must consider when making their decision. And some of those factors will revolve around the head coaches resume.

With Jensen’s former job being as defensive coordinator at Westmoore, players coming from MHS may be apprehensive. But Jensen sees his overall coaching experience as a bridge that every player can identify with.

“I think it will be tremendous in relating to the kids early,” Jensen said. “I see a possible conflict with me having been at Westmoore the last four years with the kids at Moore High School. But what I wanted them to know is that I spent five years where they are right now. I spent five years with Tom Noles from 1994-99. I got experience on both sides of town. I think that will help in the long run.”

Southmoore will be in District 6A-1 with the Lions. They will not play each other until Oct. 31, which is the second to last game of the season.

However, the Cats and Jaguars will square off one week after Moore War. It will be the first time Jensen will face his former boss, Mike Whaley, as a head coach.

“It will be different,” Whaley said. “Way different. I am not sure how I will feel until that takes place. I know it will be different.”

When that night does come, Jensen said he will not have time to get too nostalgic. Since he is building the Sabercats from scratch, his concerns will focus on his team.

Yet, that doesn’t mean he plans to be anyone’s doormat in the team’s first year.

“I am going to approach this as if we are going to win every game that we line up for,” Jensen said. “I wouldn’t be doing my job as a coach if we didn’t prepare to win every game. We are going to play to win every game.”