Panther Valley's Brenda Banks celebrates after pinning Southmoreland's Zoey Murphy in 42 seconds in the 235-pound final at the PIAA Wrestling Championships on March 8 at the Giant Center. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)

There are winning wrestlers. There are dominant wrestlers. And then there’s Brenda Banks.

Panther Valley’s 235-pounder crushed the competition en route to a second straight gold medal at the PIAA Girls’ Wrestling Championships in March at the Giant Center in Hershey. Banks, now entering her senior year, also won a state title as a freshman before girls’ wrestling became a sanctioned sport by the PIAA.

Banks proved nothing short of unstoppable during her four-bout run through the bracket at states. The pins came in 1:38, 1:00, in 10 seconds over Big Spring’s Esther Reed in the semifinals and in 42 seconds over Southmoreland’s Zoey Murphy in the finals.

Banks finished her junior season with a 36-1 record and improved to 73-2 for her career.

STORY: Banks begins run to PIAA title with fall (LINK)

STORY: Two fast falls put Banks in PIAA championship match (LINK)

STORY: Fourth straight pin clinches Banks’ 3rd state crown (LINK)

Banks’ state championship season ranks at No. 4 on the T102 Sports Now Top 10 Stories of the 2024-25 School Year as voted on by writers and broadcasters at t102sportsnow.com, WPPA/A-106 and T-102. To wrap up Year 1 and gear up for Year 2 of t102sportsnow.com, the staff is counting down the best stories of the past school year.

VIDEO: Fanelli, Evans & Patel Athlete of the Week (LINK)

T102 Sports Now Top 10 Stories

Thursday, July 17: No. 10 — Minersville’s Dante Carr commits to play football at UCF

Friday, July 18: No. 9 — Schuylkill Haven wins first Schuylkill League girls’ basketball title

Saturday, July 19: No. 8 — Sage Smeltz’s senior season at Williams Valley

Sunday, July 20: No. 7 — Tom Gallagher resigns as Blue Mountain football coach, Chuck Kutz returns

Monday, July 21: No. 6 — Blue Mountain softball coach Mike Rollman passes away unexpectedly

Tuesday, July 22: No. 5 — Tamaqua’s Mason Ligenza gets drafted to cap banner high school baseball season

Wednesday, July 23: No. 4 — Panther Valley’s Brenda Banks pins way to 2nd straight PIAA girls’ wrestling title

Thursday, July 24: No. 3

Friday, July 25: No. 2

Saturday, July 26: Top 10 views of the past year

Sunday, July 27: No. 1