ALEXUS FELTON

HANNIBAL — More than 200 females will take to the mats inside Hilliard Davidson High School Saturday and Sunday during the second annual Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association state wrestling tournament.

Among them will be six individuals representing Ohio Valley Athletic Conference schools. River’s Alexus Felton will be one of them.

“She likes the sport and her goal is to go to college to wrestle,” River wrestling coach Chuck Baker said of his 160-pounder.

Just a sophomore, this will be Felton’s second trip to the state, but the first time she had to qualify.

“Everyone made it last year but she had to make it on her own this year,” Baker said.

Felton finished sixth last Sunday at Olentangy Orange High School outside of Columbus to punch her ticket to this weekend.

Felton, who is 1-4 against girls this season and has around six forfeit wins in boys matches, received a very tough first round draw as she is paired with top-seeded Isabell Carrington of Dayton Chaminade-Julienne.

“I think she will do alright,” Baker added. “She has a really tough first round match, but I think she can win her second.”

Felton is in her second year of wrestling.

She is also a cheerleader.

Others representing OVAC Schools are Laney Hitchens (143) from Shenandoah; Dover’s Payton Curley (189); and the Warren Local trio of Hayley Snyder (101), Karlee Duffey (131) and Kylee Tait (137).

Like boys wrestling, there are 14 weight classes, with weights ranging from 101 to 235. The tournament is double-elimination and will use a 16-line bracket.