Derrick McQuiston is the feel-good story of 2009 in Loganland sports.

The Logansport senior is enjoying success on the football field after making a full recovery from a terrifying car accident that occurred a year ago and this fall.

McQuiston, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound bruising fullback for the 6-3 Berries, leads the team and is ranked fifth in the North Central Conference in rushing with 724 yards. He also leads the team and is tied for sixth in the NCC in scoring with 56 points.

Last Nov. 15 McQuiston attended the 115th Monon Bell Classic college football game with Berry teammate Derek Rowe. On the drive back home, Rowe, who now plays football at Wabash College, was driving on U.S. 231 when his vehicle went off the side of the road and struck a pole before rolling over onto Ind. 25, where it struck another vehicle.

McQuiston had to be flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis via a helicopter following the accident. He suffered broken ribs and cuts to his spleen and kidney, and his lower jaw was broken in two places. His chest swelled to double its normal size.

He was at the brink of death at times during his 16-day hospital stay, with his parents, Terry and Lori, taking vigil and praying.

“God has blessed me so much,” McQuiston said. “It’s unbelievable, being alive. I feel lucky. And to play football, too … it’s awesome. There’s nothing more I’d want to do.”

McQuiston is a part of a close-knit senior class and certainly appreciates being a member and leader of the Logansport football team.

“I love everyone on our team,” he said, “even the kids that don’t play. I love my team. I wouldn’t want to play with anybody else.”

Now McQuiston and the Berries are looking forward to Friday night’s first-round Class 4A sectional game against Concord at Berry Stadium.

“We’ve got a positive outlook,” he said. “We think we’ve got a good shot and think we should win this game. … I think we’re good enough to pull it off. We played a good game against Kokomo [last week] and fell short, but we got positive vibes from that and we’re going to bring it on Friday night I have a feeling.”

The following is a question-and-answer session with McQuiston.

Q. Of the sports that you play, which is your favorite? Why?

A. Football, for a couple of reasons. I love all my teammates. They would do anything for me and I would do the same for them. It’s priceless to see. When it’s fourth-and-inches, the look on [the faces of linemen Mike Stipes, John Lawrence, Kegan Clark, Ben Wagner, R.J. Baker, Ross Deitrich and Matt Kistler …] to put it in words is hard, but it’s a look of ‘I’m going to do anything for you Derrick so we can get this first down.’ That’s what I love about football. It is, when played right, the most selfless game.

Q. How do you feel you’ve improved as an athlete since you first started playing?

A. Improving at every aspect of every sport I play is always a goal of mine. One thing I have learned over the years is that most contests are won not by the better athlete, but the one with a better acumen.

Q. Who do you try to emulate in your life?

A. Tim Tebow. I’m not really a Florida Gators fan, but you have to respect how he operates. What he does on and off the field is eminent.

Q. What experiences have you had in sports have made you the athlete you are today?

A. The freshman and sophomore years of getting beat up on. It’s not a lot of fun at the time, but in the end it all adds up and it really helps out.

Q. What is something that not everyone knows about you?

A. When I was a youngster, the cops would come and talk to my parents, almost weekly, because me and my friends were always getting into fights.

Q. What is your favorite memory of playing sports at your school?

A. Saturday morning football practices. Junior varsity and freshman would go through special teams and then scrimmage the rest of the time. After practice we would come into the stadium to shower. Doughnuts and milk waiting for us. I loved it.

Q. What’s your favorite music, movie, TV show, etc.?

A. Music: I listen to a lot of stuff. Movie: Friday Night Lights. TV show: M*A*S*H. Video game: NCAA Football.

Q. What are your future plans after high school?

A. Planning on becoming a doctor, my future holds a lot of work. I want to help and save lives for a living. There couldn’t be anything greater. I do plan on attending college, which one though is up in the air.

Next week an outstanding athlete from Pioneer will be featured.