Elton had a strong run game last year that used a featured back. This season the Indians decided to double the pressure on opponents, and it’s paying off.

Senior Tristan Leblanc and sophomore Makelin Lemoine have combined for more than 2,000 yards rushing and have the Indians in contention for a home playoff game with three games left in the regular season.

The Indians average 377 rushing yards a game, up from 238.5 last season.

“We are fortunate,” Elton head coach Marcus Lejeune said. “Those two guys are why we run the offense that we do. And they both have to block for each other. They complement each other. They can’t key on both. They are really good high school football players. Their attitudes are really good.”

Despite missing Week 6 with an ankle injury, Leblanc, who also plays in the defensive secondary and at linebacker at times, has 1,193 yards and 13 touchdowns.

“His confidence goes with him being senior,” Lejeune said. “He has good vision. He’s a little shiftier (than Lemoine).”

Lemoine has started on the defensive side since the eighth grade while watching his role on the offense grow each season. He has 1,180 yards and 18 touchdowns on 94 carries, including 364 yards and four touchdowns when Leblanc was out. Lemoine, who also plays strong safety, has returned two interceptions for touchdowns this season.

“Makelin is bigger and stronger,” Lejeune said. “He has some speed. “He has always been a tailback since junior high. He has a lot of experience.

“I have him at the wing-back. That is a little bit different, but he picked it up well. He is effective up the middle, and he can turn the corner on you as well.”

While ground games tend to be a bit slower and more methodical than the spread offenses many schools have switched to, the Indians still have plenty of explosive, big-gain plays. Both backs average more than 9 yards a carry.

“It is nothing fancy,” Lejeune said. “Football is really not fancy. It is blocking and tackling. No matter what you run, you are not going to get any yards. They have had some big runs. If they can get loose, they can both break long runs.”

Lejeune said the offensive line has held its own despite changes to the lineup because of injuries.

“They have come along really well,” he said. “We had to move some people around. It helped us to build some depth.”

The one thing that has slowed the Indians’ ground game has been turnovers, which hurt them in both losses.

“Unfortunately last week, when we played Hamilton, we had six turnovers,” Lejeune said. “It is hard to beat somebody like that.

“We try to eliminate the penalties, play clean and utilize the ground game to control the clock. In our two losses, we have had excessive turnovers. It is tough to overcome that.”

Elton (5-2, 1-1) is ranked No. 10 in Non-select Division IV and hosts Basile (4-3, 1-1) on Friday.