CASTROVILLE >> The distraction of homecoming. The increased attention and scrutiny on social media. Oh, and being undefeated in league play.

It only adds fuel to the energy that has been exhibited in football practices all season and in the locker room before and after games at North County.

“This is a humble group,” quarterback AJ Gomez said. “It’s a group that has bought into the culture. When you have trust between teammates, that’s when you are able to succeed.”

The celebrations in the locker room, with the music blaring to a different beat each week, remind head coach Juan Cuevas that this is a loose group that plays with expectations rather than hope.

As the only undefeated team remaining in the Mission Division North at 3-0 after Friday’s 32-14 decision over Seaside, the Condors understand what lies in front of them, yet know how much work still needs to be done.

“I’ll relax for a night and start looking at Monte Vista in the morning,” said Cuevas late Friday night, in reference to North County’s next opponent. “I just want to go to Dennys and eat my flapjacks and enjoy this.”

Chasing the program’s first league title in 21 years, Cuevas pointed out earlier this week that the program was in a similar position in 2019 when it was 3-0 in league, only to drop its last three games and miss the postseason.

“I feel like our staff is carrying the burden of the pressure,” said Cuevas, who was the offensive coordinator on that 2019 team. “It’s a different vibe. This group likes to be loose. I have never had to beg for energy in practice.”

Part of that starts with Gomez, who Cuevas inserted into the starting lineup three years ago with the intent on building the program around the multi-sport athlete.

In Gomez’s past two games, the senior has thrown seven touchdowns to four different receivers, hitting Kenji Mellin four times in the Condors’ past two games.

“We don’t have any stars,” Gomez said. “We don’t get too high or too low. We have a lot of motivating people — myself included — on this team. This group doesn’t let things get into their heads.”

Which explains why playoffs and league titles aren’t even part of the discussion after games. Instead, the Condors are treasuring each win, with an eye on the following week.

“We’ve stayed locked in,” Gomez said. “I was a little concerned about the pressure or hearing the noise. But nobody is talking about a title. Just who is next on the schedule and how can we continue to get better.”

Gomez orchestrated scoring drives on the Condors’ first four possessions, taking them on methodical time-consuming drives in the first quarter that chewed up more than four minutes on their first two drives.

Poised on his rollouts, Gomez capped North County’s second drive with a fourth-down completion to JT Islas, who did the rest by dodging tacklers to get into the end zone to increase the lead to 14-0.

“We’re not perfect,” Cuevas said. “But we have kids jumping at the opportunity to play. Our kids play hard and they are playing for each other.”

In between touchdown runs by Marcos Mendoza and Josiah Carranza, Gomez found Mellin on a touchdown pass with no time left in the first half and connected with Chris Rassmussen on a 35-yard scoring strike to stake North County to a 32-0 lead.

“It’s the same work we have been doing since I took the job four years ago,” Cuevas said. “It just didn’t happen overnight. It’s been a process, a test of patience and will. A lot of our success starts during the week.”

While Seaside has endured growing pains all season, it was coming off its first win of the season, beating Watsonville, rallying around a freshman quarterback and the Escort brothers.

The building blocks for the Spartans are measured in increments, such as quarterback Elijah Romero throwing his first touchdown of his career to Julius Escort, while Josiah Escort rushed for a touchdown in the second half.

The Escort brothers have now combined for 12 of the team’s 14 touchdowns this season.

Gomez, who has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of the Condors’ first seven games, is two scoring tosses away from matching his career-best of 15.

“We know what our responsibilities are,” Gomez said. “The captains are keeping everyone focused. We’re out here because we love it. When you start to have a big ego, bad things start to happen.”