The Old Rochester Regional High School football team won at home Friday night, snapping a two-game losing streak and defeating rivals Wareham 21-12 in the much-anticipated Cranberry Bowl.

The annual game pits the neighboring towns against each other, and the winner takes home the Cranberry Trophy.

The Bulldogs, now 4-2 overall, struck first with two touchdowns and almost kept the Vikings scoreless before halftime.

With minutes left on the clock in the second quarter, Viking tight end Austin Stahmer broke through the Bulldogs defense for the touchdown. The Vikings opted for a two-point conversion, but were stopped.

“It was a hard fought game and Wareham gave us everything we could handle,” Coach Henry Quinlan said. He singled out running backs Ethan Lizotte, Darien Dumond and Sean Hopkins, all juniors, for outstanding defense.

That trio, along with what appeared to be every Bulldog on the field, pushed the Vikings back on a pivotal two-point conversion play in the fourth quarter that would have tied the game.

For the Bulldogs' final touchdown, Dumond ran nearly 20 yards to put the ball deep in Viking territory. On a 13-yard run, Lizotte took the ball into the end zone, ending Wareham's chance for a late comeback.

There is room for improvement, Quinlan said. Mistakes made in the game left him, and the players, frustrated.

“We made it hard for ourselves on a few plays,” Quinlan said, noting that the Bulldogs opponent has gotten better.

“Wareham has turned a corner,” he said.

The win comes after the Bulldogs lost 21-7 to Dighton-Rehoboth on Oct. 10. The team is currently the eighth seed in the South Coast Conference. One more win will advance the Bulldogs to the state playoffs.

The Bulldogs had secured the number one seed this time last year. The team is looking to rebuild this year after losing several key seniors.

Friday’s game capped a week of homecoming activities that included an afternoon pep rally. The festive atmosphere spilled into the stands as many turned out for the contest.

Students donned face paint and Bulldog costumes while some fans showed up early to tailgate in the ORR parking lot.

One couple arrived with their pet bulldog, Ringo.

Kevin and Gretchen Woodward, whose daughter is a junior on the cheerleading squad, have brought Ringo to games for the past three years.

“He can be shy, but he’s great with kids,” Kevin said.

The Bulldogs next game is Friday, Oct. 24 against Seekonk. The game starts at 7 p.m. at Seekonk High School.