H.S. football: Audubon's Lindemuth is bigger, faster and funnier

HADDON HEIGHTS – Billy Lindemuth’s personality can generate plenty of smiles.

His play on the football team often produces the same effect, too.

The junior defensive back had two interceptions, including his first-ever pick-6, powering the Audubon High School to a 35-25 win over rival Haddon Heights on a warm Saturday afternoon at “Cap” Baker Stadium.

“Billy is one of the goofiest kids on the team, he just makes you laugh,” Audubon first-year head coach Dan Reed said. “But he’s a tremendous athlete. One of the top runners (on the track team). He’s just fun to watch.

“If you have success in one varsity sport, I believe it carries over to other varsity sports, too. That’s why we preach to them to play more sports. Billy also found the weight room in the offseason and it’s really showed.”

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Lindemuth is a speedster on the track, where he’s logged times in the 100-meter (11.34 seconds) and 200-meter (23.3) that rank among the fastest ever in Audubon history. He was a two-time champ at the Camden County Championships, winning the small school title in the 200 and javelin (145 feet, 8 inches).

While always blessed with quickness, Lindemuth says added muscle to his 6-foot, 165-pound frame has made the biggest difference.

“I’m bigger, I feel I can hold my own better out there,” Lindemuth said.

Audubon's No. 1 played a huge part of a big second-quarter for the Green Wave, which scored three touchdowns in the span of five minutes turning a six-point deficit into a 21-6 lead. The junior hauled in a deflection off a Heights receiver and returned it 44 yards for the score.

“We were ready for this one,” Lindemuth said. “It’s our biggest rival. We lost by a touchdown (two years ago) and we didn’t play them last year, so this was a big one for us.”

Audubon improved to 3-0 with a trip up Cuthbert Boulevard to Camden Catholic for the next stop on Friday. That’s a 10-1 mark over the last two seasons combined, an eye-popping feat for a program that hadn’t had a winning campaign in the previous 15.

“We’re willing to do anything we have to do to win, that’s been the difference around here lately,” said Lindemuth, who iced the game with an interception in the final two minutes, holding a finger over his mouth to shush the Heights crowd before flashing his trademark smile.

Sophomore Derrick Bryant agreed.

“We just got that mentality now,” said Bryant, who had a touchdown on offense and two takeaways. “We got that confidence. We’re different players now.”

Reed said its all starts in the weight room, a concept that last year’s senior class helped the younger guys buy into.

“It all started with last year's senior group, especially (twins) Jeff and Jake Jordan,” Reed said. “They loved the weight room and got other guys to buy in. It was a struggle to get guys into there, it was always like we got to go to the weight room. Then, it was we get to go to the weight room.

“They’ve completely bought into the standards we’ve set up for them this year which are relentless effort, accountability and us being a family. And I think it shows out there.”

The win didn’t come without a significant loss for the Green Wave.

Senior Sean Driscoll went down with what looked to be a serious right leg injury. Last year’s starting quarterback, Driscoll has shown his versality at wideout, defensive end and punter. 

Driscoll had scored a touchdown on an amazing catch in the third quarter before getting hurt when punting the football as a defender was blocked into his leg in the fourth quarter.

Reed is hoping that there wasn’t any ligament damage and that Driscoll could return to the field soon.

Play got chippy at times and there was plenty of trash talking both ways.

“There’s always a lot of talking, it’s our rival, it’s like a Turkey Day game for us,” Bryant said.

Lindemuth said the goal is pretty simple for the Green Wave.

"We went 7-1 last year, and that was great, but we're looking to be even better this year and that's 8-0," he said.

Tom McGurk is a regional sports reporter for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.