It was a terrible, helpless feeling for Justin Rogan.

He and his teammates huddled together, trying to cope with a devastating loss in the District 2 Class A championship game.

His brother Matt, a fellow starter and a senior, would not have another chance at a title.

That experience last season motivated Rogan to work harder with his teammates in pursuit of their championship goals.

On Saturday, the Bucks

(13-1) continue that effort when they face District 3 champion Wyomissing (13-1) at 1 p.m. at Northern Lehigh High School in the PIAA Class AA semifinals.

“We all remember that day,” Rogan said of the loss to Old Forge. “We went right into the weight room two days later to work for this season.”

Rogan played a big part in Dunmore’s run to a 10-0 regular season and a convincing win in the District 2 Class A semifinals last season.

As a junior, Rogan was a starter at linebacker on a defense that held five opponents to one score each. His brother was a Lackawanna Football Conference Division II all-star in the secondary.

“I was extremely proud of him,” Matt said. “It was awesome being on the same team together. He was a little underweight but he did really well and helped us out a lot.”

Together they helped Dunmore reach the District 2 Class A final.

There, however, Old Forge, which went on a tear to the PIAA Class A final, defeated the Bucks, setting off that emotional final gathering.

“Last year, we felt that we should have lasted longer in the playoffs, especially after seeing Old Forge go so far in the state playoffs,” Rogan said. “It was the last game that I played with my brother and that was reality. There was a finality to the loss.

“That’s what made me work so hard for this season.”

He had withstood the physical demands of the game as an undersized linebacker, but Rogan knew he needed to get stronger. He, like his teammates, hit the weight room.

He lifted, spent hours in the gym on his agility, and became a stronger all-around athlete.

“I am not the biggest guy out there, but I try to be the fastest one reacting to the play,” Rogan said.

Each game, Rogan became more confident and more dominant.

He led the team with 43 solo tackles and had three interceptions during the regular season.

“He brings a surge of energy to our defense,” defensive back Colin Holmes said. “He really makes big plays for us.”

Like his brother, Rogan earned a spot on the LFC Division II Coaches’ all-star team as a linebacker and has raised his level of play, by being the leading tackler in the team’s two state playoff wins.

His speed allows his to run down opposing backs and his athleticism allows him to make plays against the pass, like the interception he had against Neumann-Goretti in the state quarterfinals.

“He is 30 pounds heavier and he is playing really well right now,” said Matt, a freshman at Bloomsburg University. “I am really happy for the entire team. They are really playing well and it’s a great experience to get to go to these state playoff games and see them play each week.”

This week, Rogan will be looking to continue his outstanding play and making contributions to a defense that gave up only 73 yards on 22 carries and had seven tackles for loss last week against Neumann-Goretti.

“The most important thing about our defense is that against the run, our line really keeps people off the linebackers,” Rogan said. “That’s why we are able to make plays.”

The past 14 weeks have helped to put the memory of last season’s disappointment behind the Bucks.

It’s been more than a year’s worth of work for Rogan.

But it’s also been worth it.

“We have all been friends since the Oilers D-team and we grew up together knowing we could be a good team,” Rogan said. “There is nothing like this. We have such a great community that comes out to support us and they really go wild at the games.

“It’s what we have been working for since last year.”

Contact the writer:

jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com @JobyFawcett26 on Twitter