On Wednesday, Bald Eagle seniors Grady Fisher and Kollin Cunningham signed their letters of intent to play football at Lock Haven, joining a plethora of fellow Eagles. Each officially committed in the morning, with Fisher signing to play punter and receiver and Cunningham signing to play defensive back.

Both players have made a tremendous impact for Bald Eagle over the past few seasons, serving as core pieces for a program that’s won 22 games in the last three seasons, including a District 6 Class AA title in 2023. Now, just 30 minutes away from home, the pair will look to carry that impact over to their next step.

“Lock Haven’s getting another great one, both Kollin and Grady. Cultured kids, great kids,” said Bald Eagle football head coach Jesse Nagle during a speech honoring his players. “There’s only seven percent of high school football players that can play college football, and I think it’s very important that we recognize these two young men today.”

Throughout his time as an Eagle, Fisher found a way to leave his mark at every position he took on. He put together one of the best two-year punting stints Bald Eagle has seen, earning all-state honors as a junior and all-LHAC honors in both campaigns. That all came while he was also impactful both offensively and defensively.

HENRY HUBER/For the Express Bald Eagle Area senior Grady Fisher poses with his parents, Kim and Chad, and Bald Eagle football head coach Jesse Nagle after signing his letter of intent to play football at Lock Haven on Wednesday at Bald Eagle Area.

Offensively, Fisher finished second on the team in all receiving categories as a junior before making the transition over to quarterback a few games into his senior campaign. There, he compiled 783 rushing yards, 557 passing yards and 17 combined touchdowns, leading the offense as the team scraped into districts.

Defensively, Fisher made an impact in all three of his seasons at defensive back. He compiled 120 career tackles – 95 through his last two seasons, netted six tackles for loss and two interceptions and broke up five passes as a senior.

“Coming in as a tenth grader, he was tiny. But we knew as a staff that he just needed some time to grow into it,” said Nagle on Fisher. “As a junior, he really came into his own, got on the field and did a lot of nice things offensively and defensively. Then, we found out about this leg of his that he never told us about.”

When asked about the decision to begin his next chapter at Lock Haven, Fisher kept it simple, citing proximity and the plethora of former teammates on the team as core reasons why he chose to become a Bald Eagle. Apart from Lock Haven, he also received an offer from Cal (Pa.).

“It just felt like home,” said Fisher on Lock Haven. “Just being 30 minutes down the road and obviously having a couple teammates down there, it definitely helped.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bald Eagle Area's Grady Fisher takes a snap during a football game against Penns Valley during the 2025 season.

Cunningham left a similar mark throughout his career as an Eagle. Though an injury halted a promising junior campaign in its tracks, he put together a strong return as a senior, serving as a leader within Bald Eagle’s stout 2025 defense.

Throughout his career, Cunningham compiled 132 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, a sack and six interceptions. Much of that impact came through his senior campaign, where he attributed 63 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, a sack and four pass breakups.

“As a senior, Kollin came back in and did a great job being one of the leaders on our defense. He was an outstanding player for us,” said Nagle on Cunningham. “They’re trying to build a great culture down there, and he’s a great culture guy.”

Though Cunningham had other offers from Cal (Pa.), Seton Hill and Clarion, there was no question when it came to where he decided to go.

Three of his siblings – Kaleigh (track & field), Kyler (football) and Khloe (track & field) – attended Lock Haven as student athletes, with Khloe still there as a member of the track & field team. That, coupled with falling in love with other aspects of the program, was a big reason why Cunningham took his talents to Lock Haven.

HENRY HUBER/For the Express Bald Eagle Area senior Kollin Cunningham poses for a photo with his parents, Nicole and Dan, and Bald Eagle football head coach after signing his letter of intent to play football at Lock Haven on Wednesday at Bald Eagle Area.

“Lock Haven has been all I’ve known for the past couple of years,” said Cunningham on the decision. “I fell in love with the staff there, the campus, just the overall atmosphere there. It was an easy choice for me.”

The pair is set to join three former Eagles in Alex Lefebvre, Carson Nagle and Wyatt Spackman, making the transition all the more exciting. They look forward to what lies ahead and will look to leave their marks as soon as possible.

“My cousin down there, Carson Nagle, he’s playing quarterback right now, and he loves it,” said Cunningham. “Everyone I’ve talked to from this high school that went to Lock Haven loves it, so it made it an easy decision for me.”

“They’re all down there and then just having Kollin come down too, I think it’s going to be fun with all of us down there, knowing some people,” said Fisher. “It’s not only football players. There’s a bunch of kids from here that aren’t student athletes down there, and they say they see each other all the time. So, I’m excited.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bald Eagle Area's Kollin Cunningham (1) runs the ball during a football game against Penns Valley during the 2025 season.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bald Eagle Area's Grady Fisher (3) celebrates with teammate Kaleb Irion (7) after a win over Bellefonte during the 2025 season.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bald Eagle Area's Kollin Cunningham (1) celebrates after a win over Bellefonte during the 2025 season.