With just three regular season games remaining, the District 11 postseason picture is starting to take shape. One team fighting for a district playoff spot in Class 1A is the Marian Colts, who have a crucial matchup this week with a strong Williams Valley squad that sits in the No. 2 spot in the 2A ratings.

The Colts (4-3), who are currently on the outside looking in for a chance to compete in the 1A playoffs, will need to finish the season strong, starting this week with their contest against the Vikings (5-2).

Marian’s critical late-season matchup with Williams Valley is our Week 8 Times News Game of the Week.

“We put ourselves in the position to be playing meaningful football games late in the season, and that was our goal. We have that opportunity, and we want to take advantage of that opportunity,” said Marian head coach Stan Dakosty. “We know we have to finish the season strong, and we know we can do that by playing clean, fundamental and physical football. We need to play to the best of our ability, and control the things we can control by playing that style of football, and then see how it all shakes out.”

A critical matchup within the matchup this week will pit the Colts’ stubborn run defense against the Vikings explosive rushing attack. Marian has been tough against the run this season, giving up just 137 yards per game on the ground. But it’s safe to say the Colts haven’t faced a rushing attack equal to the Vikings, as they are averaging almost 220 yards per game rushing, having scored 23 rushing touchdowns.

Williams Valley running back Alex Achenbach has been racking up the yards this season, as he has rushed for an impressive 1,162 yards and 17 touchdowns at 8.2 yards per carry. The Vikings are not one dimensional, as they average almost 150 yards per game through the air, with wide receiver Brady Evans standing out in their passing attack, as he has 24 catches for 657 yards and eight receiving scores on the season.

“We take pride in the way we play defense, and we have certainly improved in that phase of the game this season. I think we play sound and I think we play fundamental, and our coaches have also done a nice job putting our guys in the right spots,” said Dakosty. “We are still a relatively young team, but we have some seniors on defense that have really been setting the tone and leading the way there. With that being said, we know we have a challenge in front of us this week with both their run game and their passing game.”

An attribute of most successful teams is winning close games, and the Colts have been able to do that this season. In fact, whether the Colts were able to win or lose, the average margin of victory in their games - excluding last week’s 36-0 win over Shenandoah Valley - has been 8.8 points. Marian has been able to win close games over Catasauqua (12-7) and Nativity (15-12). Playing in tight games, and being able to come out on the winning side of some of them can certainly serve as an advantage for Marian as the games become more important in the back half of the season.

“I think a lot of the time you get more out of a close game that you win than a game where the outcome is pretty much decided when you get to the third or fourth quarter. If you’re playing competitive and tough football late in a game and you are able to make the plays at the end of the game to win that game, that is extremely valuable,” said Dakosty. “Those scenarios are only going to make you a better football team, and it gives the players confidence as well if they happen to get in that situation again.”

Marian will finish up its season with Williams Valley, Tri-Valley (7-0) and Pine Grove (1-6), and will most likely need to win at least two of its last three games to give itself a shot at qualifying for the fourth and final 1A postseason spot, with Minesrville (No. 2, 4-3) and Mahanoy Area (No. 3, 4-3) having much easier schedules the rest of the way.