HERSHEY — From anticipation to expectation.

Brenda Banks has been undeniable in her wrestling career.

The Panther Valley junior has also been nearly unbeatable.

But Banks carries the pressure of perfection with performances that are phenomenal.

And she stole the show again Saturday in the 235-pound final at the PIAA Championships, recording her fourth pin in as many matches at the tournament to claim her third straight state title.

“I’m just really glad that I was able to come through for the people that have been supporting me throughout my career,” said Banks. “The support that I get from not only my family, my friends and my community, my town and my school, but also the wrestling scene as a whole, I have a lot of love coming out of there. So I’m glad I was able to deliver.”

Banks doesn’t just deliver. She dominates.

In four matches at states, the junior never had a bout get out of the first period and spent a total of 3:30 on the mat. In her last two matches, Banks pinned her opponents in a combined 0:52.

No matter the stakes or the situation, her approach never changes. And her intensity never wavers.

“I just like to be able to clear my head for the most part and get ready,” said Banks. “Sometimes these matches, like specifically the more important ones like this finals match or my semifinals match, I get really pumped up and I guess focused or locked in for it. I was really excited going into this.”

Banks stepped on the mat ready to roll in the finals, pinning Southmoreland’s Zoey Murphy in 0:42 to claim her second PIAA title and third state championship overall, a result that drew a roar from the Giant Center crowd where Banks was a fan favorite. In the semis, Banks pinned Esther Reed of Big Spring in just 0:10. Reed placed third.

“Since she has so many moves in her repertoire, you never know which one she’s going to pull,” said Panthers’ coach Hannah Mordaunt. “And in wrestling, there are so many different moves from neutral, so many from top, so many from bottom. You can apply any different combination. And with Brenda, you never know what you’re going to get, but you know it’s going to be perfect every time. And that’s all you can ask for.”

In 10 postseason matches — through districts, regionals and states — Banks recorded nine first-period pins and registered a 7-0 decision against Souderton’s MacKenna Atkinson, who she defeated in the state final last year.

“I think for the most part my game plan today was really just getting in there and trying to get the pin as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Banks. “Obviously, always wrestle smart and be technical about it because the pin isn’t always going to be there right away. So just waiting for the right time is usually what I’m going for.

“I’ve gotten a lot more confident in my abilities to really gauge a match. I watch film a lot, too, of my opponents so being able to go out on the mat and execute with the information that I gather before my matches to get ready, that always makes me more confident in myself.”

Already unquestionably skilled and incredibly accomplished, Banks has continued to find ways to raise her ceiling in her career.

“We work very hard to try to get her to this point, to where she can do it, but it’s all on her. She does it,” said Panther Valley head coach Kris Nalesnik. “There’s only so much your coaches can do for you when you get to a certain level, and we just try to keep her focused, keep her ready. And we don’t really need to, because she does it herself.

“She’s having fun out there. She enjoys going out there and winning matches. She has a blast every time she hits the mat.”

Banks has reached rockstar status in the wrestling world and beyond, with all eyes always on her.

But the spotlight is one Banks shares with her team and her community, something that will always make her success so special.

“This season, I feel like I’ve improved so much since last year,” she said. “Wrestling nationally over the summer has also really helped with my skill this season. I’m really proud of how far I’ve come, and I’d like to hopefully think that I’ve influenced a lot of other girls and people in general to come out and wrestle, because you really do get out of it what you put into it.”

Fugazzotto medals

Northwestern junior Luke Fugazzotto finished his weekend with a strong performance in the Class 2A bracket, placing seventh at 172 pounds.

Fugazzotto pinned Frazier’s Jackson Angelo in 4:57 to claim his second state medal, and finish the season with a stellar 50-5 record.

“I fell pretty short of what I really wanted to do,” said Fugazzotto, who was second in Hershey a year ago. “It was the end of the long weekend that didn’t really go my way, so I just went out there and wrestled with what I had left.” Fugazzotto built a 3-0 lead with a takedown in the first period before Angelo answered with an escape and a takedown midway through the second to go up 4-3. But Fugazzotto got a reversal and added two back points to regain a 7-4 advantage.

The junior added another reversal in the third period before finishing the match with a pin.

It might have been disappointing for a wrestler who had high hopes in his third straight trip to states. But Fugazzotto, who now has a career record of 127-21 and is four pins away from 100 for his career, showed his fight after losing a quarterfinal round match by coming right back and winning his consolation match to secure a spot in the top eight.

“You need to have a good mentality to bounce back from that,” said Fugazzotto. “From a mental state, I think that was good for me.”

Fugazzotto has set an example for those in the program, and shown what it takes to achieve success at the highest level of the sport, something he’s eager to continue his senior year.

“Just to try to step up, be a captain, be a leader, not as much as a coach but someone that can set an example,” Fugazzotto said.

ADDING UP ... Banks finished the season with a record of 36-1, and now has a career record of 73-2, meaning she is well on her way to hit 100 career wins next season. For her career, she has 53 pins. Her only loss this season was an injury default during a match in December.

SOLID SEASONS ... In addition to Banks, Panther Valley also had junior Alisa Williams, who won her opening match Thursday and finished with a record of 33-10, qualify for states. Northwestern, which also qualified for the PIAA team tournament this year, also saw freshman Nolan Koehler advance to Hershey. The Panthers finished 11th in the final team standings at states with 34 points. The future is bright for both programs. “We are truly blessed,” said Nalesnik.

CHAMPIONS ... District 11 was well represented in the finals Saturday. In Class 3A, Whitehall’s Willmont Kai (114), Easton’s Nicholas Salamone (121), Bethlehem Catholic’s Keanu Dillard (127) and Nazareth’s Tahir Parkins (139) all claimed titles. In the girls tournament, Palisades’ Savannah Witt (118) and Easton’s Aubre Krazer (130) earned gold. Faith Christian Academy, coached by Northwestern graduate Ben Clymer, won the 2A team title with 232.5 points ahead of Bishop McCort (218.5). Bethlehem Catholic won the 3A team title with 88 points to top Thomas Jefferson (76) and Nazareth (72.5).