South Fremont All-American wrestler Boden Banta sets sights on a fourth state title
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ST. ANTHONY – The list of four-time state wrestling champions is impressive but short.
One bad day or match and the march to the top of the podium is over.
South Fremont has been one of the state’s premier program’s in recent years and already boasts two recent four-time state title holders in Sawyer and Hunter Hobbs.
Is Boden Banta next in line?
The Cougar senior has checked off the first three, taking the high school season by storm as a freshman and he hasn’t slowed down yet.
“That’s my end goal,” Banta said of reaching rarefied air as a four-time champion.
This week’s EastIdahoNews.com Athlete of the Week is 33-1 and comes off an impressive win at the Madison Invitational where he had a pin, tech fall, and two major decisions in his four matches.
Last week when South Fremont hosted Snake River and American Falls in duals, Banta beat Snake River’s Kelton Reynolds 18-2 in a tech fall. Reynolds was ranked No. 2 at 126 pounds (behind No. 1 Banta) by IdahoSports.com.
He then rallied to beat Evan Simms of American Falls, who was ranked fourth in the state at 132. Banta trailed in the third round but finished strong for a 9-6 win.
Banta’s path to wrestling started early.
By age 5, he was wrestling in a club and inspired by a family quite familiar in local wrestling circles.
Banta’s father Rhett competed on South Fremont’s first state championship team in 1985, while his grandfather, Jay Banta and great uncle Wes Banta, each wrestled for Ricks College. Boden’s older brothers Brock and Easton were also accomplished wrestlers.
Boden became immersed in the sport. He’s added more accolades to his resume, earning All-American honors by placing at the Greco-Roman and Freestyle national meets.
But adding a potential fourth state title would be a nice way to end his high school career.
“It would mean a lot,” Banta said, adding all the time and effort put into the sport over the years would be rewarded for a fourth time.
The state championship meet is Feb. 28-March 1 at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello.