SALEM — It certainly was a lot more dramatic than Salem coach Matt Bouchard wanted, but in his program’s first-ever home playoff game, the Witches survived a nearly miraculous rally from Dennis-Yarmouth to escape Bertram Field with a 33-27 win.

The Witches (7-2) advance to face No. 6 Cardinal Spellman in the Div. 6 quarterfinals next week.

“We knew it was going to be a battle and it was. We were lucky to pull that one out,” Bouchard said.

It looked like Salem was going to cruise into the second round when Devante Ozuna scored on a 27-yard run with 1:55 left to give his squad a 33-13 lead.

Dolphins quarterback Jayden Barber, who was a brilliant playmaker all game, hit Oliver Doto for a 67-yard score on the next play to cut the lead to 33-20.

Still, the Dolphins were in need of two scores in 94 seconds to steal the win away. They promptly recovered an onside kick before Barber hit Peyton Kellett for a 45-yard gain to the one.

Two plays later, Barber (17 of 40, 259 yards) flipped one to Bryson Garcia for a score that made it 33-27 with :29 left.

Improbably, the visitors recovered a second straight onside kick at midfield and had a chance to score the upset. A 25-yard pass to Mayo got the Dolphins in range of a touchdown but Salem’s two-way star, Corey Grimes, slammed the door when he picked off Barber in the end zone with two seconds left.

“Their quarterback was dynamic and you saw that,” Bouchard said. “We did a great job on defense of holding them to seven points in the first three quarters.”

Salem scored on the game’s opening drive despite five false starts and a holding penalty before Grimes powered in from four yards out late in the first to make it 13-0. The teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter to make it 19-7 at the break with neither team denting the scoreboard in the third quarter.

Grimes and Barber traded touchdown passes in the fourth before the frantic finish.