Published: August 31, 2007 01:23 am            

The last Moore War?

MOORE — After 18 years of intense rivalry, the Moore War will receive a facelift next season. The addition of Southmoore might triple the number of rivalries in the district, yet it may put an end to something else.

The Moore War. And tonight’s contest being the last of its kind hasn’t been lost on the Lions and Jaguars.

“It’s huge,” Westmoore senior Bo Woodard said. “It’s the last one. There is going to be a whole lot of emotion in it. But the main thing is we want to bring the trophy back and keep it on our side.”

“That game is going to be huge,” Moore’s Jared Jackson said. “It’s going to be more of a rivalry this year. Everybody is going to be watching. Just basically both teams want that trophy to take home for the last year. And definitely, we want it more. So I think we will do that.”

Westmoore leads the series 12-11. That includes the last six in a row.

Last year, though, it seemed as if the Lions would break the string when they had a chance to beat the Jags in overtime. But the weather and some Westmoore luck conspired to keep the Moore War trophy on the west side of the district with a 28-27 victory.

The Jaguars have no intentions of letting it go.

“Moore War, the last one,” said the Jags’ Blake Owen. “We are all pretty excited. We are going to go out there and keep the trophy. It’s real big. That thing deserves to stay over here. Us winning it six times now. We are going to go out there and make it seven in ’07.”

The Lions, however, are intent on evening the series.

“I think this year the score will be the exact opposite of last year,” Moore’s Johnny Carter said. “I predict we will win by a couple touchdowns. But it’s always a great game.”

If healthy, Moore will look to Jackson to carry the load on offense. The senior dropped a pass in last year’s contest that would have given Moore the win. He’s looking to atone.

“I have used it as more of a strength,” Jackson said. “It made me want to work even harder to come back and show people I didn’t let that break me down at all.”

Jackson suffered a high ankle sprain two weeks ago that forced him to sit out the rest of the preseason. Coach Bill Bays can only speculate on Jackson’s return.

“We are still dealing with the doctors on that,” Bays said. “We are not supposed to comment on injuries.”

Whether Jackson is able to go or not, the Lion defense will have to come up big.

The Jags head into Moore War with Tracey Norwood at quarterback. This will be his first start under center.

“It’s a little different than what we have done with (Ryan) Fightmaster,” Westmoore coach Mike Whaley said of Norwood. “He’s a little bit different type of athlete. What I do like about him is his ability to improvise and make a play when he gets in the open field. I think that is his biggest strength.”

There will be a lot on the line in the 2007 version of Moore War. With it being the last of its kind, the only question that remains now is what happens to the Moore War trophy, which is handed out after the game.

The players have a solution. They want this encounter to be a winner take all. Whoever leaves the field victorious keeps the prize in their school’s trophy case forever.

“What I heard was whoever wins this one keeps the trophy,” Westmoore’s Aaron Rigsby said. “It will be real big.”

Michael Kinney

366-3537

mkinney@normantranscript.com

        

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