LAKEVILLE — Before having turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes this Thanksgiving, the Old Rochester Regional High School varsity football team tasted defeat at its Thanksgiving day game against Apponequet Regional High School.

The Bulldogs lost 36-21 against the Lakers ending the season with five wins and six losses. After an early touchdown from Apponequet in the first quarter put the Lakers in the lead, the Bulldogs never quite caught up — but never stopped fighting.

“We struggled at times,” said Old Rochester Regional High School football coach Bryce Guilbeault. “At halftime, the kids responded and I thought we came out [and] played inspired football.”

The Bulldogs entered halftime losing 20-7 and by the end of the third quarter they narrowed the gap with a score of 28-21. But that still wasn’t enough to bring the Bulldogs to victory.

“Football is a tough game guys, it’s a grind,” he said to his players after the game.

This was the final Old Rochester football game for the team’s seniors but Guilbeault hopes that underclassmen take the experience of Thursday’s game and use it to help them improve next year.

“It could’ve gone the other way really quickly,” said Guilbeault. “We’re proud of them.”