A year of turnarounds for some area teams

Lenape and Buena made huge jumps this season, from middle-of-the-pack teams in 2013 to division champions and high playoff seeds in 2014.

Lenape finished 4-6 last season. The Indians improved to 9-1 this season, won the West Jersey Football League's Colonial Division, earned the No. 1 seed in the South Jersey Group 5 tournament, and handed rival Shawnee its only loss in the annual Thanksgiving Day game.

Buena was 5-5 in 2013. The Chiefs improved to 10-1, captured the Cape-Atlantic League's National Division title, and secured the No. 2 seed in the South Jersey Group 2 tournament.

But the prize for Most Improved Team goes to Riverside.

The Rams were 0-10 in 2013. They were 1-49 over the last five seasons.

But under first-year coach Dan Harris, Riverside went 6-4, beating rival Burlington City and defeating Asbury Park in a playoff consolation game.

One of Riverside's best games was a loss, as the Rams pushed WJFL Freedom champion Palmyra to the brink in a 21-18 setback.