PARIS — Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School football isn’t accustomed to its first initial matching its win total.

This year’s seniors don’t have to strap into the way-back machine very long to unearth a gridiron past that features a Fitzpatrick Trophy winner (Jeremy Tardiff), a starting lineman at the state university (Jacob Folz) and an Eastern Class A championship (1999).

All of it unfolded in Jake Hall, Nate Dubois and Asher White’s lifetime.

Winless seasons might be accepted as a building block at one of the many Maine schools trying to launch or resurrect football programs. For those three anchors of a 16-man senior class at established Oxford Hills, however, 0-8 in ’08 was nothing more than a source of indigestion.

“We talk about that every day. It’s something that’s in the back of our heads whenever we’re playing,” said Hall, the Vikings’ second-year starting quarterback and strong safety. “It’s always going to be with us. It’s a real bad feeling in your stomach.”

If there is such a thing as degrees of winless — such as there are for burns, concussions or separated shoulders — Oxford Hills suffered worse than the garden variety oh-fer.

Injuries, defections and deflated psyches reduced the Vikings’ roster to fewer than 30 bodies, less than half some of their Class A counterparts. A new spread offense struggled to hold onto the football. A beleaguered defense surrendered six touchdowns per game.

“I was actually one of the players who got hurt at Homecoming game. I’ll never forget that,” said White, a defensive end and slot receiver. “I couldn’t play the rest of the year. It almost took me out of basketball. I just really hope that doesn’t happen again this year. It was pretty hard for me.”

Wins may not come in bunches, yet, but another parade through the Pine Tree Conference without tasting victory seems unlikely.

Most importantly, Oxford Hills passes the naked-eye test. The Vikings play harder, look stronger, act more dedicated and speak with confidence that belies their recent history.

In last week’s season-opener at Lewiston, the Vikings lost 26-0 but essentially held one of the consensus top four teams in Eastern A to two scores. The Blue Devils posted only a defensive touchdown and a long scoring run against Oxford Hills’ second-team defense in the second half.

“For us it was a big step, and we’re trying to keep the momentum going and keep the kids hungry,” said Oxford Hills coach Nate Danforth. “They look like a football team. The plan Friday night is to step in and dial it up even another notch.”

Oxford Hills hosts Mt. Blue at 7 p.m tonight. Win, and the Vikings not only would put to rest a crushing chapter in their proud history but emerge as a playoff threat in the wide-open PTC race.

“We’ve all played together since seventh grade. We just realized it’s our last season and we want to give it our all,” said Dubois, who topped 100 rushing yards against Lewiston while playing a stellar game at linebacker. “(Last season) was really frustrating considering the history the school has. You realize you couldn’t do what the past had done. That motivates you a lot to get the school back where it belongs.”

The coaching staff has done its best to provide anecdotal evidence from the not-so-distant past. Nate Danforth, brother Dan Danforth and Cimeron Colby all were part of successful Oxford Hills teams under current high school principal Ted Moccia in the 1990s.

Freshman coaches Steve Kilfoyle and Mike Loveless have been part of the staff since those glory days, also.

“We talk about that and all the other people in this community that have worn the green and the gold and what it takes to get to the playoffs,” Danforth said. “You can’t play football for three months out of the year. You can’t show up two hours a day and play football and expect to make the playoffs. It’s got to be a lifestyle. We’re trying to get these guys to buy into that, and it’s working.”

Thanks in part to a deep sophomore class, Oxford Hills’ roster exploded to more than 60 players this fall.

The Vikings’ captains — Hall, Dubois, Eli Dolloff and Jake Allen — didn’t sanitize or water down memories of the 2008 troubles for the newcomers.

“I think it needs to be brought up: The feeling those guys had each week after a game. They can’t forget that, because that’s what is driving them to not lose now and to play as hard as they can,” Danforth said. “We’re trying to take steps forward and leave that behind. Hopefully there will come a day when I’ll never have to bring up the 0-8 season.”

All it would take is one win. Perhaps tonight?

“This is probably the make-or-break point,” Hall bluntly said of the Mt. Blue matchup. “We just want to turn it toward the future and get it going in the right direction. Set a good starting point for everyone else.”

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The team getting a drink of water at practice on Tuesday, Sept. 8.