Alvarez football

 For a program that won just two games last fall, back-to-back wins in the last two weeks has created a little excitement at Alvarez.
 And there should be.
 The Eagles, who have a bye this week, have beaten two Salinas rivals in Alisal and North Salinas in succession. They're one play away from being 3-0 instead of 2-1.
 Now it would be a stretch to call Alvarez contenders in the Gabilan Division, which opens up in two weeks.
 The playoffs?
 That's a realistic expectation. The Eagles, who visit Gilroy in two weeks, haven't won three straight games since 2014 -- the last time they posted a winning season.
 There appears to be a comfort zone and confidence level at Alvarez that wasn't there last fall. Players have bought into the system, and quite frankly, are thriving in the Wing T attack.
 Braden Arriaga-Lopez has evolved in the system, having accounted for 10 touchdowns this year for the Eagles.
 What the Eagles are doing is grinding on the ground, chewing up the clock and limiting the number of possessions their opponents get.
 The offensive line is pushing the pile. While Arriaga-Lopez has been in the spotlight for the Eagles, nearly 200 combined rushing yards came last week from Andre Wallace and Dylan Uto.
 Alvarez talked about embracing the challenge of the Gabilan Division before its first game. There's an expectation with this group. And four wins could be enough to earn a postseason spot.