HERSHEY - It was a moment Brenda Banks will never forget - and one the Panther Valley sophomore hopes she can relive in the coming years.

Banks came home from the inaugural PIAA girls’ wrestling tournament as a state champion following a 3-0 decision over MacKenna Atkinson of Souderton during Saturday evening’s 235-pound finals.

Banks scored all her points in the third period with an escape and then a pivotal takedown with 1:03 left in the match to take control and solidify her status as a state champion at the Giant Center for the first time ever.

“This is probably the biggest it can get outside of nationals for girls wrestling,” said Banks. “Whatever happens here will inevitably go down in history with this being the first PIAA sanctioned tournament.

“I’m really proud of myself for coming this far and being here in only my second year of wrestling.”

Banks picked a good time to start her wrestling career, as she won the non-sanctioned state championship as a freshman and then completed an undefeated sophomore campaign over the weekend.

She had a sense of pride during her time in Hershey, appreciating the opportunity to be wrestling on the state’s main stage alongside the boys tournament. It’s not often you’re able to make history, and do it with a gold medal around your neck.

“I wanted to win this so badly,” she said. “I wanted to be proud of myself and my accomplishments, as well as have my family, friends and coaches be proud of me too. This is one of the most important things I’ve done in my life so far.”

The victory caps a stellar season for Banks, who was unbeaten at 30-0 and also captured district and regional titles in the first year girls wrestling was sanctioned by the PIAA. Banks won the state title a year ago in a non-PIAA event.

Her match with Atkinson was also a rematch of the Southeast Regional final, which Banks won 7-1, and the fourth win over Atkinson for Banks this season.

On the boys’ side, Northwestern’s Luke Fugazzotto had an epic run in the 172-pound bracket reaching the 2A finals, but ultimately losing to Faith Christian’s Adam Waters by fall in 1:41.

It was the second state championship for Waters, who only gave up one point at the PIAA tournament and won his other three bouts by technical fall.

It may not have been the way Fugazzotto - a district runner-up and third-place finisher at regionals this season - wanted to go out at Hershey, but it didn’t take anything away from possibly the best tournament he’s wrestled in his life.

He had a pair of memorable wins in the quarters and semifinals, knocking off returning state finalist Hunter Hohman of Grove City 16-12 and then avenging a district finals loss to Notre Dame’s Keegan Ramsay with a 6-0 semifinal win.

“I just look at the possibilities for next year,” said Fugazzotto, who is only a sophomore. “Bringing home a medal means everything. Wrestling for a small school and being the only guy out here [for Northwestern], I think it says a lot to come out of here with some hardware.”

Northwestern’s Katie Brensinger was the third and final Times News area wrestler to come back with a medal, as she took fifth at 148.

Brensinger pinned Alahna Morris of Lake Lehman in 1:44 to win her consolation round bout and grab her first medal at the Giant Center. Brensinger was a district champion and regional runner-up this season.

“It’s so much more meaningful to get a medal here,” Brensinger said. “There’s so many more fans and people that can see me out here, and it just gets my name out there even more.

“Knowing girls come out and wrestle because they see us out there means a lot to me. It makes me feel like I’ve done something.”