For area high school football fans, the upcoming playoffs have a little bit of everything to offer.

You've got a 5-5 Belton team with an explosive offense and a shaky defense challenging a Longview crew that's up in Class 5A after losing 4A state finals to Austin Lake Travis each of the last two seasons.

You've got a Cameron Yoe program that hasn't appeared in the playoffs since 2007, but at 10-0 and ranked fourth in 2A the Yoemen have a realistic shot to become the area's first state football champion since Rosebud-Lott in 2002.

You've got programs that in recent seasons have gotten very familiar with postseason competition - Copperas Cove, Killeen, Rockdale, Rogers and Bartlett.

You've also got a Gatesville team that's in the playoffs for the second straight year after a lengthy hiatus and a Milano squad making its second appearance in four seasons.

And then you've got three schools that either haven't experienced playoff action in quite a long time (Moody and Buckholts) or never have been thrown into the postseason fray until now (Holy Trinity Catholic).

Twelve area teams qualified for the playoffs, and all but Yoe - which has a first-round bye by virtue of winning the District 12-2A Division I title - have games this week.

The schedule begins Thursday night with a pair of bi-district games. Gatesville, which pulled out a 28-27 win at Robinson on Friday to help secure a repeat playoff berth, meets Madisonville in a 3A Division I duel at Ennis.

Meanwhile, No. 9 Rogers - coming off of its lone loss and now without injured senior quarterback Ryan Fares after a 35-14 home loss to No. 5 Lexington - takes on Jewett Leon in a 2A Division II battle at Groesbeck.

A year after Belton recorded its first playoff win since 2000, Texas-committed quarterback David Ash - the area's most prolific passer - and coach Rodney Southern's Tigers will square off with Longview on Saturday night at Kincaide Stadium in Dallas.

Earlier that day in a TAPPS Six-Man Division I matchup, Holy Trinity - under new coach Charles Boles - plays at Dallas Covenant in the Celtics' first playoff game.

In between the Thursday and Saturday doubleheaders, there's seven games on the Friday slate, with Copperas Cove, Killeen, Rockdale, Moody, Bartlett, Milano and Buckholts in action.

Cove coach Jack Welch's Bulldawgs completed a 9-1 regular season Friday and are hungry to atone for last year's unusual first-round exit against Tyler John Tyler. Cove played 19 playoff games from 2005-08, including a pair of 4A Division I state finals.

Cove clashes with Mesquite Horn in a 5A Division II tilt at Tarleton State in Stephenville.

Killeen, making its third straight playoff trip under Sam Jones, will be without injured star quarterback Michael Cummings when the Kangaroos meet Mansfield Summit in 4A Division I action at Glen Rose.

The 3A Division II schedule pits Rockdale - making its fourth consecutive playoff trip under Jeff Miller - against Columbus in Bryan. The Tigers got into the playoffs by routing Caldwell 38-15 on Friday.

Moody hadn't been a part of the playoffs since 1999, but a drop to Class A Division I this season helped coach Sam Gillispie's Bearcats. They'll travel northeast to face Pineland West Sabine in Troup.

Perhaps Bartlett didn't live up to preseason expectations by going only 3-7, but area rushing leader Eric Walker and the Bulldogs still managed to gain a third playoff berth in three years under Joe Mullins. Bartlett battles Burkeville in Class A Division II play at Sam Houston State's Bowers Stadium in Huntsville.

Milano, powered by dual-threat QB Thomas Sanders, enters the playoffs for the first time since 2007 to take on High Island in Giddings. Coach Craig Jentsch's Eagles advanced by knocking off Granger 40-20 Friday behind 565 yards total offense and six touchdowns by Sanders.

And Buckholts, under first-year coach Cory Schwartz, will make its first playoff foray since 1997 when the 8-2 Badgers host 10-0 Richland Springs.