Lady Bobcats 1 win away from regional tournament

The Berryville Lady Bobcats are just one victory away from returning to the 4A North Regional Tournament.

The Lady Bobcats can clinch their first regional tournament appearance since 2021 with a victory Thursday, Feb. 20, in a second-round game at the 4A-1 district tournament in Huntsville. Berryville will play at 6 p.m. against the winner of Monday night’s first-round game between Prairie Grove and Green Forest.

The tournament semifinals will be played Friday with the boys and girls championship games on Saturday.

Berryville, which went a combined 4-0 against Prairie Grove and Green Forest this season, enters the district tournament as the No. 3 season but on a three-game losing streak, including a pair of home losses last week.

The Lady Bobcats lost to Gentry 55-46 on Tuesday, Feb. 11, before Pea Ridge spoiled Berryville’s Senior Night with a 46-33 victory on Friday.

A slow start hurt the Lady Bobcats in the loss to Gentry, as the Lady Pioneers jumped out to a 15-8 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Junior Paige Thurman scored 15 points for Berryville, with classmates Kaylyn Smith and Hailey Howerton adding 14 and 10, respectively. Smith scored 12 points in the second half.

The first quarter hurt the Lady Bobcats again in Friday night’s loss to Pea Ridge, as the Lady Blackhawks raced out to a 20–4 lead after the first eight minutes. Pea Ridge extended its lead to 32-10 at halftime.

Senior Taelor Tomlinson led Berryville with eight points, including six in the second half. Junior Tessa Johnson added seven, all after halftime, and Howerton scored six.

Green Forest’s girls can earn a regional bid with victories over Prairie Grove on Monday and Berryville on Thursday. The Lady Tigers, the No. 7 seed in the distric t tournament, lost to Prairie Grove 48-39 on Tuesday, Feb. 11 and to Shiloh Christian 61-16 on Friday, Feb. 14.