Bingham boys’ wrestler Banks Love has had a winter to remember. In the eyes of Bingham head football coach Eric Jones, however, the junior is someone to be remembered for what he does off the mat. 

“Banks is a phenomenal young man! Best wrestler in the school but even more than that, he's a great kid,” Jones said. “Very respectful, always doing what he should be doing, and works his tail off. He's a coach's dream athlete.” 

Love’s hard work paid off Feb. 16 when he made it all the way to the championship bout at this year’s 6A state tournament. On the campus of UVU, the junior lost a narrow decision to a wrestler from Fremont High School, 9-7, earning a silver medal at 156 pounds. 

“It was close. I think he'd be the first to say he didn't wrestle very well in the first round & a half,” Jones said. 

At last year’s 6A state tournament as a sophomore, Love finished in fourth place overall at 126 pounds. 

This year, the spotlight has indeed shined brighter on Love, but it hasn’t affected him much. Love qualified for the 6A state tournament after winning the 6A Divisional at Corner Canyon High School Feb. 4. Before that, Love was a Wildcard entrant yet still won by fall in the featured bout of the evening at the Ross Brunson Duels in just 5:55 Jan. 11 at UVU. 

To start the season, the Bingham junior earned All-American status Dec. 21, 2022 at the prestigious Reno [Nevada] Tournament of Champions.  

In Reno, “Banks sailed through the early rounds of the tournament by racking up the pins,” said the statement from the Bingham High athletics department.  “He finished second overall in the tournament which granted him [the] All American status.”  

Heading into this season, Love had amassed an impressive record as an amateur wrestler. According to his TrackWrestling.com profile, he’d won 62 matches and lost just 17—with 32 of those victories coming by pin. Another 15 came by way of technical fall. 

Love, who also plays defensive back on Bingham’s football team, plans to head into his senior season with a Region 3 title and 6A Divisional crown to defend and hopefully win it all at state next year. 

“He was disappointed to not finish it off with a title, but he certainly had a great year.”