Dolan Harman of Loyalsock looks for running room against Montoursville at Montoursville High School. Loyalsock won the “Battle of the Bridge” 21-7. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Dolan Harman tore his ACL two years ago. He came back strong as a sophomore last year, but broke his ankle halfway through the season.

He has been broken and torn and adversity has done its best to keep Harman down. Again, Harman keeps fighting back. Now he is standing tall, developing into one of the area’s best running backs.

Harman looks anything like a player who has suffered two season-ending injuries and he ran for 130 yards while scoring twice last Friday at Memorial Stadium, helping Loyalsock defeat Montoursville, 21-7. Harman caught a 27-yard fourth quarter touchdown and helped the Lancers (6-4) keep the Bridge Trophy for a third straight year, while helping them earn a first round home District 4 Class AA game against Warrior Run.

“I had a lot of people doubting me,” Harman said. “I came back from a lot of injuries, so this is my season to prove myself.”

Consider that mission accomplished, because if anyone is not convinced Harman is an outstanding player that person has not been paying attention. The 6-foot, 210-pound workhorse closed the regular season with 1,212 yards and 14 touchdowns. Playing a brutal schedule which has included games against teams like Shamokin, Danville, Southern Columbia, Lewisburg and Montoursville, Harman has gone over 90 yards nine times, including in each of the past eight weeks.

The first two years hardly went to script, but Harman tore that script up and has written one which includes a remarkable comeback twist. After several excellent players graduated last June, many wondered if Loyalsock could remain successful. Harman is one of many Lancers who has emphatically answered that it can.

His resilience as much as his talent is a big reason why.

“It’s crazy to see him fight through this and come out and be a 1,000-yard rusher,” linebacker Preston Gross said after making a team-high 13 tackles. “He just put in the work every day.”

“Dolan hasn’t had it easy. He’s had to be resilient; he’s had to fight through a number of different obstacles and rise to the occasion consistently,” Loyalsock coach Justin Van Fleet said. “Whenever the bell has rang he’s been able to step forward and take care of business.”

A bulldozer of a runner with good burst, Harman often takes care of his business in violent fashion. He has proven adept at gaining yards after contact and often hits defenders as hard, if not harder than they hit him.

Loyalsock featured a prolific passing game last year, but changed things this season based on its personnel. Harman moved to the top of the playcalling chart and has never tired while often carrying the ball between 20-35 times a game. After what he has been through the past two years, fatigue and/or tough defenses are not so daunting.

They are just more obstacles to try and hurdle. Thus far, he keeps leaping them — well, barreling over them –in style.

“It’s one of those things wherever how hard they punch you just have to get up and punch harder. That’s what I try and do,” Harman said. “It just makes me feel like I know I can fight. All the guys around me always support me, so I have so many people with me to help me feel strong.”

Harman has showcased that strength all season, topping 100 yards seven times, including against Danville. He offered a glimpse of things to come in the opener, going for 166 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-27 win.

That was one of two one-point Loyalsock victories and the Lancers also have two fourth quarter comeback wins. Not surprisingly, Harman went over 100 yards in all those games.

“When he is beating down the defense that’s huge,” Gross said. “A lot of times in small school football, guys are playing both ways and have to go out there and play offense and it just fires you up seeing him do that.”

Injuries tried putting out Harman’s fire but that seems impossible. The setbacks have led to impressive comebacks. The exciting part for Harman and his team is that this story continues.

“He has done a great job,” Van Fleet said. “Have nothing but pride for what Dolan has done for our football program and our community and what he means for Loyalsock in general.”

CLOSING STRONG: Williamsport (5-5) erased a seven-point deficit in the game’s final 3 ½ minutes, scoring 21 points in 3 minutes, 20 seconds to defeat Wilkes-Barre, 34-20. The Millionaires built on the momentum generated in a near upset at Hollidaysburg, the offensive line played its best game of the season’s second half and the defense stood strong with Zion Hughes returning an interception for a clinching touchdown. It’ll host Hazleton in the District 2-4 Class 6A semifinals on Friday.

Elijah Way threw for 166 yards, while running backs Kahyear Whaley and Jamel Bailey combined for 115 yards and three scores. Bailey scored both the game-tying touchdown and the go-ahead score with 41 seconds remaining. Williamsport earned the No. 3 seed for the District 2-4 Class AAAAAA tournament and will play at Hazleton in the semifinals.

STILL GOING: South Williamsport remains tied with Loyalsock for the area’s longest active district playoff streak, extending it to 13 years with a 21-14 win at Northwest. One of the district’s youngest teams was missing some key players but senior quarterback Tadd Lusk continued displaying his leadership and played one of his best games, totaling 349 yards and three touchdowns. Lusk also became the program’s first 1,000-yard passer since A.J. Flick in 2017.

Lusk ran for two long scores and also found Dylan Scheller for a touchdown. The defense kept Northwest scoreless until the fourth quarter, freshman Kasim Davenport collected his third sack and South (5-5) earned a spot in Friday’s District 4 Class AA quarterfinals against Troy.

EXTRA POINTS: Milton’s Comeback Kids did it again, rallying from a fourth quarter deficit and winning in thrilling fashion for a fourth time this season. Chris Doyle broke off an 80-yard touchdown run with 3:31 remaining, helping the Black Panthers defeat Warrior Run, 20-13. Milton has won three of its four games with comeback wins in overtime and/or the final four minutes. Doyle ran for 148 yards; Lucas Ditty caught four passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns and Izayah Minium threw for 139 yards. Eli Butler ran for 75 yards, scored his 15th touchdown, intercepted a pass and went over 100 tackles this season in defeat. Jackson Albright also made 10 tackles, while Sam Hall caught his 30th career touchdown and intercepted a pass … North Penn-Manfield edged rival Wellsboro, 28-27, doing so in dramatic fashion and blocking a last second 27-yard field goal try. Cooper Shaw dazzled in his final high school game, running for 155 yards, throwing for 117 and producing four touchdowns. The senior finished his season with 2,339 total yards and 24 touchdowns. Keaton Manikowski hauled in a 56-yard scoring strike and George Valentine made 10 tackles with Shaw and Colton Pellett adding interceptions. Wellsboro running back Ryder Bowen ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns in the final game of his stellar high school career, becoming the program’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2019. Freshman Griffin Morral threw for 221 yards and also went over 1,000, while Kody Enck had seven catches, 143 yards and a touchdown … Bucktail quarterback Brody Pentz went over 1,000 rushing yards for a second straight year, gaining 211 yards and scoring a touchdown in his team’s 36-6 loss at CMVT. Pentz finished his outstanding season with 1,116 yards and no Bucktail player has run for more career yards in the 2000s.

Chris Masse may be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse.