Regional loss ends stellar season for Berryville boys

A 55-50 loss to Ozark in the first round of the 4A-1 Regional Tournament ended the Berryville Bobcats’ 2025-26 season. It didn’t define it.

Instead, Berryville’s season will be remembered for 24 victories against 10 losses, a significant improvement over last season’s final record of … “It was a great year,” Berryville coach Brent Compton said. “Twenty-four wins. That’s a lot of wins. What I’m proud of is our kids were playing their best basketball at the end. We did have some ups and downs but when it mattered, our kids showed up and gave it their best shot.”

In the end, the Bobcats found themselves facing a tough assignment in the first round of the regional tournament on Thursday, Feb. 26, at Prairie Grove — a big, physical opponent that was able to outmuscle an undersized Berryville squad.

“It was a tough matchup for us,” Compton said. “We just got unlucky with our draw, to be honest with you. They got beat in overtime in their district tournament and probably should have won their district. The physicality was really hard us. We had a hard time rebounding. Our kids battled. I don’t know how many times I was told the rest of the week about how everybody thought that was the game of the week with how hard both teams played and competed.”

Berryville, the No. 3 seed from the 4A-1, was within three points at halftime. Ozark, seeded second from the 4A-4, outscored the Bobcats 19-13 in the third quarter to extend its lead to nine at 42-33. The Hillbillies advanced to the regional championship game before losing to Berryville’s conference rival Shiloh Christian.

Senior Peyton Smith, who led the Bobcats in scoring each of his three seasons and earlier this season eclipsed 1,500 points for his career, had 23 points in his final game for Berryville. Junior John Butler added 15, including 10 in the fourth quarter.

Butler will be among four starters returning as seniors next season, and the Bobcats also will add a strong sophomore class coming off a district tournament championship.

“Losing Peyton Smith and Noah Houghton … they were really good,” Compton said of the two most prominent seniors on this season’s squad. “We’ll see how things go next year. But, of course, having that many kids back, we’re anticipating another good season and hopefully even better.”