CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The CCSC soccer team picked up from where it left off last season, beginning the 2007 campaign with a strong start.

On Friday night, the Cougars traveled to crosstown rival Codman Academy and scored the first and only two goals of the opening half.  Junior Carl Norgaisse converted the first score and junior Steven Rodenas, the team's leading scorer last year, blasted in the next on an assist from junior Ariel Garcia.  After Codman got on the board in the second half, Garcia finished them off with a goal of his own.  First year goalie, eighth grader Aaron Velasquez, recorded three saves while Rodenas, Norgaisse, Garcia, twin Jeffrey Garcia, Tanya Dymski, and Michael Elysee combined for 13 shots on goal.

On Sunday, CCSC turned right around to play host to Codman at MIT.  Although the game ended in a 0-0 tie, the Cougars clearly dominated the visitors with 21 shots on goal (nine by Rodenas and four by freshman Dymski).  Codman's goalie saved 15 attempts while Velasquez added three more to his season count.  The Cougar defense, behind the strong play of Elysee, Geo Morgan,  and Tiffani Devincent-Clarke, was impenetrable.  With a year of experience for many of the Cougars and some top newcomers, CCSC looks like it will continue to be a force in the MCSAO.