JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com

Hear my full ‘5 Questions’ interview with the Eagles’ speedy running back here

You can listen to the interview with Fisher by clicking on the ‘play’ button above.

You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.

And you can continue reading the story from Tuesday’s New Era …

He is the Lancaster-Lebanon League’s Fastest Man.

And last Friday night against Elizabethtown, Cocalico senior Kyle Fisher – who won the 100, 200 and 400 sprint events last spring in the league track championships – showed off that blazing speed.

Trailing by two scores in the second half against the Bears, Fisher capped Cocalico’s comeback with a jaw-dropping 75-yard touchdown sprint with 11:14 to play to give the Eagles lead for good in their 35-34 thrill-a-minute win, which knocked E-town out of a first-place with Manheim Central.

Cocalico also knocked E-town out of first place in Week 10 last year, forcing the Bears to share the Section 2 title with Solanco. So E-town had the Eagles circled last Friday night, but fell to Fisher and his mates for the second year in a row.

Fisher also had a 55-yard touchdown catch, a 7-yard touchdown run, and he rushed for 140 yards on 12 carries against the Bears last Friday night.

For his efforts, Fisher is the New Era Player of the Week.

Fisher has more than lived up to all the preseason hype. He’s second in the league in rushing (1,102 yards) and he leads the league in touchdown runs (16) and yards per carry (12.7), and he’s helped Cocalico to a 3-1 start in Section 2 play and the Eagles are 6-1 overall.

Cocalico is tied for second place in the section with Garden Spot – whom the Eagles will host on Friday – and Elizabethtown, which will take on Manheim Central, which is in sole possession of first place, on Friday in Manheim.

So this race is far from over. And Fisher and his mates are hoping to be there when it’s all said in done in three weeks.

Fisher took a break from a film session Monday morning to take a stab at the New Era’s 5 Questions …

TELL US ABOUT THE 75-YARD TD RUN – YOU WANTED NO PART OF E-TOWN LINEBACKER SHANE ROSENBERRY, RIGHT?

“Rosenberry hit me pretty hard earlier in the game. My hip still hurts, in fact. He put a big hit on me. He’s a really good player. So there was no way I was going to let him hit me again. I was sore enough. … Jon Smoker, Ethan Quint and Pat McMillan made big blocks … pretty much everyone on the left side did. Those guys arched, and Smoker took his guy out and I was able to cut. All I had to do was run straight down the field. I tried to stay as close to the sideline as I could, because I wanted no part of Rosenberry.”

MATT CARTY, YOUR JUNIOR QUARTERBACK, HAS BECOME QUITE THE OPTION WHIZ. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT HIS GAME?

“Matt is a very smart quarterback. He always makes the right call. He’s grown so much since last year. We know when steps up to the line that he’s going to make the right decision to pull it or pitch it. It’s a great feeling to have that much confidence in your quarterback. We all know he can do it. You have to be on the ball to run this offense, and he runs it well.”

SO, ARE YOU GUYS ROOTING FOR ELIZABETHTOWN TO BEAT MANHEIM CENTRAL THIS WEEK?

“Definitely! We’re definitely rooting for Elizabethtown, that’s for sure. I’m hoping they can do it again (like last year, when the Bears beat the Barons 56-14). We’re hoping and praying. It’s kind of tough to ask them to do that … but this is huge. This could be our year to do this, but we need E-town to win – badly.”

TELL US ABOUT COACH GINGRICH:

“He’s awesome. My relationship with him has gotten better and better every year. He’s a great guy. He does everything you could ever ask for … for you and for the team. He puts in so much time … all of our coaches do. He’s just a great guy, and he knows what he’s doing and what he’s talking about.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SCHOOL LUNCH?

“Hmmm … taco salad and pizza usually kill me on game days, so I usually get a salad on the day of a game. But I’d have to say chicken nuggets with honey mustard sauce is my favorite. I actually had those before the game last Friday against E-town.”