Atlanta Public Schools takes on Clayton County Public Schools in second annual Battle of the Metro

The second annual Battle of the Metro at Lakewood Stadium on Saturday, May 3, was a day of friendly competition between Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and Clayton County Public Schools middle school soccer programs.

The Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy played against a team of Clayton County All-Stars, and the boys’ team from Crawford Long Middle School faced Jonesboro Middle School.

Soccer in APS has grown considerably, with more than 30 teams across the district. Partnerships with Soccer in the Streets and Atlanta United have helped APS build up its soccer program.

“It’s going to be very important to continue to help us establish a footprint in soccer and give our student-athletes the space to really compete and grow,” APS assistant athletic director Rendell Jackson said. “We continue to look to provide exposure for our student-athletes. Our hope is that we provide exposure and create friendships. You never know, you may meet someone who is a college friend or teammate down the road.”

Yaneth Jose-Gomez was the Player of the Game for Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, and Leyla Richards was the Player of the Game for the Clayton County All-City team.

Andreas Vasquez was the Player of the Game for Crawford Long Middle School, and Abraham Leiva was the Player of the Game for Jonesboro Middle School.

The Battle of the Metro Collaborative is a partnership between athletic directors from Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton County, DeKalb County, Bibb County, and KIPP Atlanta Schools that continues to provide valuable exposure and development opportunities for metro area student-athletes.