Andalusia senior wide receiver Derrick McQueen helped led the Bulldogs into the Class 4A semi-finals, and also set the school’s single-season receiving mark.

McQueen said he was motivated this season by one of his relatives.

“My cousin Keith Jenkins is my motivation,” McQueen said. “He was a in a bad wreck a while back and was messed up pretty bad. The doctors said he wouldn’t walk or talk again, but he did. He is my best friend and every time I stepped on the field, I was playing for him. I just want to go out there and do the things that he won’t be able to do. When I play, he is playing through me.”

“Derrick is a guy who just has a tremendous personality,” Andalusia head coach Trent Taylor said. “He is always in a good mood and always has a smile on his face. Last year, he wasn’t one of the main threats and he really worked extremely hard in the offseason to become a better player.”

The senior narrowly missed the 1,000-yard mark, but still piled up 994 yards and eight touchdowns in Andalusia’s 14 games.

“It was a lot of fun,” McQueen said of his senior season. “Being out there and playing with my brothers was great.”

McQueen’s biggest night of the season came against Region 1-foe Thomasville.

Against the Tigers, McQueen had eight catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns. It was McQueen’s first 100-yard game on the season, but it wouldn’t be his last.

When Andalusia faced cross-county rival Straughn, McQueen caught four passes for 126 yards and a touchdown.

McQueen ended the year with five catches for 104 yards in the Bulldogs’ semi-final loss to Handley.

He almost had another 100-yard game in the quarter-finals against Tallassee, but ended the game with 99 yards and one touchdown.