In her early years, Panther Valley’s Brenda Banks remembers watching WWE wrestling and dreaming of one day stepping onto the mat herself.

“I remember watching it and trying to do some of those moves on each other,” Banks said. “We always had a lot of fun among my friends.

“I never thought wrestling was an actual sport. Today, I can watch it and laugh.”

Fast forward a few years, and Banks is now one of the most recognizable names in girls wrestling — and for good reason.

Banks captured her third state wrestling title — her second sanctioned PIAA championship — in the 235-pound weight class this season, once again dominating the field. In the title bout, she pinned her opponent in just 42 seconds and finished all her matches in the first period.

For her efforts, Banks has been named the Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Girls Wrestler of the Year for the second straight season. She finished the year with a 36-1 record, and holds an impressive 73-2 mark over three seasons.

Her lone loss this year came against Bedford’s Mylah Steinbuch, due to an injury sustained around the four-minute mark of their bout. Banks’ only other loss was a 2-1 decision as a freshman to Cumberland Valley’s Aja’nai Jumper.

Panther Valley head coach Kris Nalesnik has watched Banks grow into her role as a leader and dominant competitor.

“Nothing phases her,” Nalesnik said. “She goes out and gets the job done. You could see how she came out of her shell, and how her career began to unfold and grow.

“Since she started, you could see the growth. She had the physical talent, but she had to work on her technique. Once she did that, we knew she would be special.

“As a freshman, she won a wrestle-off to earn a spot on the boys team. When she won her first championship, she really took it in stride. For most wrestlers, that’s a once-in-a-career goal.”

Banks said she focused on building her physical fitness and mental toughness in her early years.

“During my first year, I wasn’t too focused on the wins,” Banks said. “Winning the title was nice, but I never really grasped the moment. It was one match after the other until the end.”

That mindset has evolved.

“Over the last two years, I’ve learned more about the sport — not just the physical part of it,” she said. “I’ve become more confident, and I really enjoyed this past year. Winning two state championships that were sanctioned and being in the Giant Center with the wrestlers and the crowds was a great experience.”

Beyond her success on the mat, Banks said she values the relationships she’s built with teammates and coaches. She also has a pre-match ritual to stay calm.

“We’re a big family, and we’re really close,” she said. “It’s also great to see more girls coming out for the sport. We really support each other on and off the mat, and that’s important to me.

“I also love taking a nap before each match — it helps calm any nerves.”

Fellow junior and best friend Anelia Bennick, who started wrestling alongside Banks, said she always saw greatness in her.

“I always knew that Brenda would be something great,” Bennick said. “I saw the potential in her when we were kids playing other sports, but I’ve never seen her dominate like she does in wrestling. It’s unbelievable. I knew she was special when she was beating boys at every tournament and match leading up to her first state title.

Bennick also noted Banks’ unwavering focus.

“I’ve never seen her really struggle with anything other than maybe her mindset at times, and even then, she’s always ready to wrestle,” Bennick said. “It’s almost like nothing else matters when she’s in the zone. She’s locked in, the way any great wrestler should be.

“She’s become even more dominant in both strength and skill. It’s amazing to see my best friend getting the recognition she deserves. In a small town like ours, it’s easy to go unnoticed, but Brenda’s hard to miss.

“I expect nothing but great things from her. I’m so proud and thankful to be there every step of the way — along with our great coaches. She’s set an amazing example for all of us, and for the younger girls on the team who will carry that momentum forward.”

In addition to her high school accomplishments, Banks has excelled in offseason wrestling. Last July, she won the 235-pound title for Team Pennsylvania at the prestigious U.S. Marine Corps Junior and 16U Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota. Over the past three summers, she has earned multiple national-level medals.

Nalesnik said he’s cherishing every moment with his star wrestler.

“Every coach hopes for an athlete like this in their career,” he said with a smile. “We’re fortunate — and lucky enough to have one more year with her.”