HERSHEY — The final whistle meant something different for Brenda Banks on Saturday night.

State title No. 4.

And the perfect ending to a remarkable high school career.

“I try to stay in the present when I wrestle,” Banks said. “But when it was over, it finally sunk in that I had won my fourth state title.”

The Panther Valley senior closed her high school career Saturday night by pinning Southmoreland’s Zoey Murphy in 4:43 to capture the 235-pound championship at the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey.

She was also named the Outstanding Wrestler of the girls tournament. Banks controlled the bracket throughout the two-day event, opening with a major decision before pinning Hazleton Area’s Evelyn Sheer in the quarterfinals and needing just 45 seconds to pin Dallastown’s Noelani Knott in the semifinals.

Her match with Murphy was scoreless after the first period before Banks escaped early in the second to take a 1-0 lead. She eventually turned the Southmoreland senior for the fall at 4:43 to secure the title.

It sealed a victory that capped a dominant 37-0 senior season for Banks and marked her third PIAA championship and fourth overall state title.

Few wrestlers in Pennsylvania history — boys or girls — have reached four state titles.

Girls wrestling was not yet sanctioned by the PIAA during Banks’ freshman season, when she captured a state championship before the sport became officially recognized.

“Today was probably the most nervous I’ve been in about three years,” Banks said. “This one definitely meant the most to me. I had the weight of my supporters, my family, my friends and my school on my shoulders, and I’m glad I was able to carry that through the finals.”

The championship bout was also a rematch of last year’s state final between Banks and Murphy, which Banks won by pin in 42 seconds. Murphy entered Saturday’s match with a 24-1 record and battled throughout before Banks capitalized late.

“I figured she probably watched film from last year,” Banks said. “I knew she’d stay low and avoid my shots, so I knew I’d probably have to wrestle through the first period and get to my offense later.”

Panther Valley coach Kris Nalesnik said Banks’ composure throughout the tournament stood out.

“The most impressive thing this weekend was her poise and composure,” Nalesnik said. “She didn’t force anything. She stayed patient and took what her opponents gave her.”

Beyond the victories, Nalesnik said Banks’ influence has extended well beyond the mat.

“There’s no way to describe how much this has done for every little girl who wants to wrestle,” he said. “She’s the best ambassador for girls wrestling.”

Banks’ popularity was evident throughout the tournament, where young wrestlers and fans frequently asked for photos and autographs.

“She’s the kind of kid everyone wants a picture with,” Nalesnik said. “She represents Panther Valley the right way.”

While Banks added another championship to her legacy, Northwestern Lehigh senior Luke Fugazzotto also closed his high school career with another trip to the podium.

Fugazzotto placed fifth in the Class 2A 189-pound bracket, defeating Chestnut Ridge’s Jayden Imler 7-2 in the fifth-place match Saturday afternoon.

He scored a takedown just 20 seconds into the bout, and led 3-1 after two periods before adding an escape and another takedown in the third.

“It was good to end on a good note,” Fugazzotto said. “A win’s a win. After the consi semis I just needed to get my head in a good place and go all out to get the win.”

The finish secured the third state medal of Fugazzotto’s career in his fourth trip to Hershey. He previously finished second as a sophomore and seventh last season.

Fugazzotto reached the semifinals with a 10-3 quarterfinal victory over Bishop McCort’s C.J. Pensiero before falling to undefeated Tyrone standout Kyle Scott, 7-2.

In the consolation semifinals, Fugazzotto dropped a tightly contested 4-1 sudden victory decision to Montoursville’s Hayden Harvey. The match was tied 1-1 after regulation before Harvey scored the winning takedown with 15 seconds remaining in overtime.

Northwestern Lehigh coach Joe Killar said Fugazzotto showed resilience by bouncing back in the fifth-place match.

“He’s a great kid who always puts the team first,” Killar said. “It was good to see him go out with a win. That was probably the best match he wrestled in the tournament.”

Killar also praised Fugazzotto’s leadership for a Tigers program that brought several underclassmen to Hershey this season.

“Luke’s a good leader and a very hard worker,” Killar said. “He’s a great example for those guys.”

Fugazzotto finished his senior season 34-5, and closed his career at 161-26 with 122 pins. A four-time state qualifier and three-time district champion, he will continue his wrestling career at George Mason.

“It was a fun experience,” Fugazzotto said. “Now I’ll put that in the past and start the transition to college.”

When it was over, Banks’ career stood among the most accomplished in Pennsylvania girls wrestling history.

She finished 37-0 this season and 110-2 for her career with 84 pins, capturing four state titles and recording her 100th career victory earlier this winter. Along the way, she helped shine a spotlight on the rapid growth of girls wrestling across the state.

Even as her high school career came to an end Saturday night, Banks said she hopes the impact of her success continues long after her final match.

“Even though my high school wrestling career ends here, I hope the impact I’ve made goes far beyond the years I was here,” Banks said. “I just hope I’ve inspired as many girls as possible to go out there and give wrestling a shot.”