Alisal soccer

 Was it a wake up call or reality?
 When you're the No. 3 ranked team in the state, there is a larger than life target on your back.
 Alisal knew that. It's been down this path before.
 Yet, before making assumptions, just maybe San Benito, the team that beat them 3-0 Tuesday, is pretty good too.
 Only two teams came into the week unbeaten in the tri-region area. The Balers and Alisal.
 So it shouldn't have come as a complete shock.
 The bigger surprise may be that Alisal was knocked off at home. Then again it fell at home in the first round of last year's playoffs as the top seed to Monterey.
  If you're going to have a hiccup in your season, make it the regular season. The Trojans were due for a less than stellar outing after beating Bellarmine and playing Mitty to a tie earlier this season.
 Alisal earned that state ranking. Bellarmine was the top ranked team in the state at the time. Mitty is No. 3. And it also played No. 8 Overfelt to a tie this season as well.
 Yet, if you are grading leagues, the Gabilan Division is stacked. Watsonville has been to the CCS Open finals three straight years. Monterey and San Benito are both undefeated in league.
 Don't discount 6-1-1 Alvarez, who the Trojans face on Thursday. And North County has produced 40 goals this year.
 What San Benito did is prove the Gabilan Division is wide open.