With three weeks to go, Washington-Marion is in position to earn head coach Jules Sullen’s preseason goal of a playoff berth.

The Charging Indians (3-3, 0-1) host District 4-4A mate North Vermilion Friday night (1-6, 1-1) with a chance to improve its standing. W-M is 34th in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association power ratings. The top 32 qualify for the postseason with the first 16 hosting first-round games.

W-M lost 35-12 to Eunice in the district opener last week. North Vermilion lost 51-21 to Rayne after opening the district slate with a win over LaGrange.

Run defense will be key for W-M against North Vermilion.

Patriots running back Benny Freeman ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns last week. In the Eunice game, W-M allowed 374 yards on the ground, including 147 and four touchdowns to Bobcats quarterback Josh Brown.

Elsewhere

LaGrange (0-7, 0-1) will travel to Rayne (4-3, 2-0) in the other 4-4A game. The Wolves are on a four-game winning streak and have allowed 54 points in those games.

In District 3-4A, Leesville (5-2, 2-0) will host Peabody (0-7) while looking to extend its three-game winning streak. The game features two of the state’s leading rushers in Peabody workhorse Arthur Lavalais (1,536 yds., 19 TDs) and Wampus Cats counterpart Caleb Gallashaw (1,035 yds., 11 TDs rushing; 363 yds., 2 TDs receiving). Gallashaw had 445 yards of offense and five touchdowns in last week’s 49-41 win over DeRidder.

The Dragons (4-3, 0-1) wil try to bounce back at home against Bolton (1-6, 0-2). Dragons running back Ronnie Crosby has run for 200 or more yards in three consecutive games and has 1,110 yards and nine touchdowns.

Fellow running back Darian Castille had 97 yards and a touchdown last week and has run for 599 yards with five touchdowns. Bolton has allowed 88 points in its district losses to Leesville and Tioga.

Tioga (3-4, 2-0) plays a nondistrict game at Eunice (3-4) this week and hosts Leesville next week in what could be a showdown for the district crown.