Middle School Championship Teams Dream Big Under the Capital Cup Lights at Audi Field
Top teams from across the District gathered for the 2023 Capital Cup championship finals. Photo: Cody Cervenka
On November 17, 2023, poet-athletes from twelve DC SCORES middle schools realized a dream held by many DC soccer fans: to play a championship game on Audi Field.
The teams traveled to the iconic DC stadium for the Capital Cup, the championships for DC SCORES’ middle school co-ed, boys, and girls soccer leagues. Two championship games were played for each gender group as the top teams from the public and public charter school divisions battled it out for victory.
In the co-ed group, Brookland Middle School lifted the public school trophy after a 1-0 win over Leckie Education Campus, in an upset for Leckie, which won the championship last year.
In the charter school co-ed game, Paul Public Charter School returned to the championship for the second year in a row to take on newcomers Two Rivers Public Charter School. The Two Rivers Crew edged out the Paul Pirates in a thrilling game to win 5-2.
In the girls’ match-ups, Lincoln Middle School took on Ida B. Wells Middle School. Both teams had large supporter sections, though there were a number of famous faces in the Wells crowd, including D.C. United’s Donovan Pines, who came out to cheer on the squad. After an exciting game, Wells emerged victorious with a 2-0 win.
A DC International School player celebrates a goal against Washington Latin Public Charter School in the charter school girls’ championship. Photo: Cody Cervenka
In the charter school girls’ championship, Washington Latin Public Charter School took on DC International School, in a fast-paced game that sent fans into a frenzy when DCI secured the title in a 4-0 win.
In the boys’ charter school final, fans were treated to a re-run of last year’s match-up between Washington Latin and DC International. That game culminated in a mammoth 18-round penalty shootout, though fans’ nerves were spared in the 2023 iteration, with Washington Latin winning 2-0 in regulation time.
Post-win cheer between a School Without Walls poet-athlete and the packed Audi Field spectator section. Photo: Cody Cervenka
In the public school boys’ championship, the Lincoln boys’ team stepped onto the turf after cheering the girls in their final to take on School Without Walls at St. Francis Stevens. The thrilling final culminated in 2-1 victory for the Walls Tigers in a match that left spectators at the edge of their seats until the very end.
“Regardless of who won today, all the poet-athletes who played in these finals are champions,” said Jason Gross, Senior Director of Soccer and Operations and Capital Cup lead. “It takes skill, hard work, and a positive mentality to make it to this point, and Audi Field was a fitting stage to showcase the incredible season these teams have had.”