There was plenty of fight in Old Rochester to stay within striking distance against the Apponequet Lakers, but not enough to salvage the boys basketball team’s tournament run following a 68-63 loss.

The Bulldog’s season ended Saturday night at a sold out game played at ORR.

Trailing 42-41 at the start of the fourth during the Bulldogs quarter finals game, junior center Grant Reuter sank a shot from the low post to give his team its only lead in the second half.

Foul trouble hindered the Bulldogs as 6’6’ junior center Matt Valles was benched late in the fourth quarter following his fifth. A pair of well timed threes by the Lakers kept ORR from closing the gap.

For a Bulldogs team poised to make another deep run in the Division 3 South tournament after last year’s state championship, it was a tough loss.

“I’m proud of these kids that they were able to play at a high level of basketball,” said head coach Steve Carvalho. “Overall we had a 17-5 season, but it was a disappointing end.”

Entering the game, ORR and the Apponequet were evenly matched. Both had identical 17-4 records and the Lakers were the No. 5 seed while the Bulldogs were seeded fourth.

The Lakers previously defeated ORR, 63-60, on Jan. 29 on Apponequet’s court.