For a few high school area football teams, this week’s games will be a launching pad into the playoffs.

For a few others, the playoffs are a vanished dream.

In the middle group — which includes the Bartlesville Bruins — victory is the only alternative this week in order to climb aboard the postseason train.

The Bruins (3-5, 2-3) will play a day early — on Thursday — at Tulsa Washington (5-4, 3-2) with the last playoff spot form District 6A-II-2 up for grabs.

The winning team will advance; the losing squad will see its final season chapter written.

This is deja vu for the Bruins.

During John McKee’s second and third year (2012, 2013) as head coach, Bartlesville missed out barely out on the playoffs, due to a final week loss to Tulsa Washington.

The Bruins qualified the in 2014, and 2015, to get into the playoff mix, and will be battling Thursday to extend the postseason string to three straight seasons.

The Bruins are 2-2 this year in road games.