WAILUKU — Forget that they have just two wins since 2004. Those two wins came last year.

Forget that they lost eight transfers, including a significant chunk of their best talent. They have a roster of 39 players ready to roll.

Forget that they have been outscored 67-22 in 2008. The Maui Interscholastic League season is here and the Trojans football team is eager to play.

With the league off this past week and a bye for the Trojans, formerly known as Pac-3, this weekend — all MIL squads will play just twice each between Aug. 30 and Oct. 10, a span of 40 days — the team is basically back in training camp without a game until facing Lahainaluna on Sept. 19.

''Right now, it is going pretty good,'' Trojans coach Charlie Pico said to The Maui News. ''We finished our preseason and have a two-week bye before the season starts, so we are just taking the opportunity to get everybody healed up and go back to some fundamentals. You know, use the time wisely to get ready for the season.''

With new starters at nearly all of the skill positions, Pico says that ''both lines are basically our strengths right now. We have six or seven guys who will go both ways and a lot of them are linemen.''

The Trojans do not lack for size on their line, starting with the Fineisaloi brothers. Senior Kalani Fine-isaloi is a 5-foot-10, 300-pounder who plays nose guard and offensive tackle. His brother, Etuate Fineisaloi, is another two-way lineman and a junior who goes 6-3, 363.

Stephen Imai (6-2, 335, senior), Garrett Newton (6-0, 270, junior) and Jonah Apo (5-6, 285, senior) add enough size to the lines to allow four-year varsity player Josh Carrizosa (5-7, 225, senior) to spend some time at fullback.

The linemen will lead the way for sophomores Kainoa Legsay and Ethan Kim, who each started one nonleague game at quarterback. The Trojans who will carry the ball include junior Rory Racadio and senior Juan Estrada. No one in that foursome weighs more than 140 pounds.

The issue of the transfers is not one of Pico's favorite subjects. Six of them ended up at Baldwin and two more at King Kekaulike, all of it made possible when a statewide rule was adopted in April allowing student-athletes to move to their district public school and be immediately eligible for sports.

''I am tired of hearing about it,'' Pico said. ''It happened. It was out of our control. It is what it is and we have moved on from it. We have grown close after all of this and I feel that our team is really close from what happened.''

The Trojans, made up of mostly players from St. Anthony, are reinforced by five Seabury Hall athletes, including Jack Webber, a 6-4, 165-pound junior wide receiver and free safety. Bryson Chang (5-6, 170, junior) of Seabury Hall will play fullback, linebacker and defensive end.

Linebacker is a strength for the team and part of the reason that its basic defensive set is the 3-5. Other linebackers to step to the forefront include Michael Weiss, Greggory Cambra, Estrada and Chang.

Estrada had a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown in a 33-10 loss to Kohala last week. The offense struggled against the Cowboys with just two first downs, and minus-18 rushing yards on 27 carries.

Legsay, who missed that game with a leg injury, is set to return at quarterback in time for the Trojans' MIL opener.

A return date not been determined for Jordan Kahalekai-Bermoy, the Trojans' only first-team MIL All-Star last season. Kahalekai-Bermoy, who suffered a knee injury late last season, returned to the baseball field in time for the state tournament in May, and is practicing with the football team.

When Kahalekai-Bermoy gets back on the gridiron — and he is expected to return at some point this season, according to St. Anthony athletic trainer Erin Harkleroad — he will provide an infusion of experience currently missing in the skill positions.

The two victories from last year helped erase the memory of a 20-game winless streak the team had entering the season.

''Last year with the two wins, it was a building process, so it was great for them to taste that, to reap some of the little benefits of the work and stuff,'' Pico said.

As a four-year varsity player, Carrizosa has seen a bit of all the challenges his football team faces — from just making the MIL-mandated minimum roster sizes to dealing with a lot of losses.

''We are very excited to get going in the MIL,'' Carrizosa said. ''We can't wait. We are just ready to show what we are all about and have some fun. This year, it was hard, small (roster), but if we can get some wins, it would definitely help us out in the future and grow from that. Last year, our hard work paid off and hopefully if we work even harder, we will get some more wins. We are a lot closer this year. We are really tight with each other and we are a good team.''

Cambra, a third-year varsity player, emphasized that last season is gone.

''Those wins from last year mean a lot, but we are worried more about this year than last year,'' he said. ''Our line is really good. We just have to work out the kinks and stuff. Our offense has to get better. We work hard as a team, so we just have to put it together.''

Kalani Fineisaloi says this team has the right attitude.

''We have to play more as a team than for yourself,'' he said.

With the strength and size of the Trojans on the lines, he said they are ready for a breakthrough.

''I believe the line is the strength of every team,'' he said. ''We start the tempo, so if we start off bad we know how the tempo of the game is going to be. I wish the first MIL game was this week, but with the byes it is just making me more anxious.''