MAN - It's been three long years.

But the Man High School football team is back.

Back in the playoffs.

Man (7-3), the No. 9 seed in Class A, is scheduled to open the playoffs on Friday night at No. 8 Mount Hope (9-1).

Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Mount Hope High School football field.

After a 2-8 season last year and a break even 5-5 mark in 2006, Man is poised to make another post-season run.

The Hillbillies last made it to the playoffs in 2005 when Man went 1-1, beating No. 8-ranked Hamlin (14-0) as the No. 9 seed. Man then went to Williamstown and fell to the No. 1 Yellow Jackets, 26-12.

It could be deja vu for the Billies this year.

With a win over the Mustangs on Friday night Man could play at Williamstown again in the quarterfinals. Williamstown (9-1) is set to open the playoffs on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at home against No. 16 Parkersburg Catholic (6-4).

Williamstown was last year's Class A state runner-up. The Yellowjackets lost 51-14 in last year's finals to Wheeling Central.

Man coach Harvey Arms said it's great to be back in the playoffs.

"It sure does feel great. You start every season wanting to make it to the playoffs. We've been out for two years and it feels great to be back this year," Arms said.

Man comes into the post-season on a roll.

Since losing 21-3 at Chapmanville on Oct. 10, Man has since won over Gilbert (35-12), Wyoming East (15-0), Buffalo (14-6) and Iaeger (28-0) last week.

In other Class A playoff games: No. 13 Midland Trail (6-4) is at No. 4 Wheeling Central (8-2) on Friday night; No. 12 Moorefield (7-3) is at No. 5 Matewan (9-0) on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.; No. 15 Big Creek (7-2) is at No. 2 Pocahontas County (10-0) on Friday night; No. 10 Calhoun County (7-3) is at No. 7 Madonna (10-0) on Saturday night; No. 14 Tucker County (7-3) is at No. 3 Fayetteville (9-1) on Friday night; and No. 11 Clay-Battelle (8-2) goes to No. 6 St. Marys (9-1) on Friday night.

Man could have very easily moved up in the rankings and had a home field playoff game had it not been for a narrow 14-12 loss at Triple-A county rival Logan in the season opener. Two special teams blunders hurt the Billies in that one. Logan's Derrick Perrin returned the opening kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. Man also had a muffed punt deep into Billies' territory which led to the other Wildcat score.

Had Man beaten Logan the Billies would be playing at home on Friday night.

Arms said it would have been great to beat Logan and be playing at home.

"We would have rather been number one but we're not disappointed. We're happy to be in the playoffs," Arms said. "I think that our kids have played really well all year. We still look to go into the playoffs and do well there. We look at all of the "ifs" and "ands" and "buts," but we can't do it over. We have to go with what we're facing us now. It would have really been nice to have a home playoff game because it's been quite a while since we've had one here - 1997 if I'm not mistaken. We're glad to be in, though, and we're going to put it together and stay in as long as we can."

Arms said he's glad that Man drew Mount Hope, which is located in the Oak Hill area in Fayette County. It's a reasonably short trip for Billies' fans. Had Man been one spot lower the Billies would have had to travel to play at Madonna, located in the Northern Panhandle. Man did just that in 2004 as the Billies lost 47-0 to Madonna in a Class A first-round playoff game at Weirton.

"This is one good thing about it that since we have to go on the road it's a trip that we can make just like a normal game. You don't have to go and make any special preparations," Arms said. "That's an advantage."

Man is 2-2 this season against playoff teams.

The crown jewel was a 20-10 victory at home against Fayetteville on Oct. 3. It is the only loss to date this season by the Pirates.

Man lost 38-12 at St. Marys on Sept. 19.

The Billies are 1-1 against 2A playoff games, losing 21-3 at Chapmanville and beating Wyoming East 15-0 on Oct. 24 at New Richmond.

Arms said the Class A playoff field is strong.

"It's a great lineup for the Single-A playoffs," he said. "There's many good teams in the field. There's Williamstown. Pocahontas County has to be pretty tough because they are undefeated. You know that Wheeling Central is always going to be tough. We played St. Marys and we know that they are tough. There's Matewan and we played Fayetteville. We know that they are tough. The only game Mount Hope lost this year was to Fayetteville. I'm sure Moorefield is tough. They've always been a good program.

"The field is strong and I think that it's going to be a good year for the Single-A playoffs."