AUGUSTA — The Frank J. Gaziano Linemen Awards were started two years ago on the premise that linemen are the anonymous heroes on the football field.

Rudy Pandora knows from experience that filling a scrapbook with headlines containing his name would be impossible. But he is quick to point out being a lineman isn’t totally a thankless job.

“Our running backs love us,” Lewiston’s star two-way lineman said. “They let us know when we’re doing a good job, so we do receive a little recognition.”

A little more recognition came the way of Pandora and seven other senior linemen from around the state on Sunday with the second annual presentation of the Gazianos.

Logan Mars of Scarborough was named the top offensive lineman and Luke Libby of Thornton Academy the top defensive lineman in a banquet held at the Augusta Civic Center.

Pandora was a runner-up for the offensive lineman award, along with Matt McLean of Windham. Matt Ross of Cape Elizabeth and Max Andrews of John Bapst were runners-up for the defensive lineman award.

Libby, a 6-f00t-1, 225 pound two-time SMAA all-star at defensive tackle, made 64 tackles and had six sacks for the Trojans in 2011. He was a semifinalist for the Fitzpatrick Award presented earlier this month.

“I’m thrilled. It’s an honor to win this award,” said Libby, whose college plans are still up in the air. “This award is more for linemen so I’m definitely more excited about it.”

Mars, a 6-foot-2, 247-pound guard, was a two-time all-SMAA selection. Along with the other finalists, he went through a thorough application process which included submitting film from a game involving their toughest opponent, writing an essay and being interviewed by the awards selection committee. That gauntlet makes the award even more special, he said.

“It’s every aspect of your life. It’s not just football. It’s not just school. It’s absolutely everything. I think that’s awesome,” said Mars, who is headed to the Coast Guard Academy.

University of Maine nose tackle and former Windham star Raibonne Charles agreed that the award is about more than who is the best lineman.

“It doesn’t surprise me that you guys went the extra mile to apply for this award because you’ve been doing that your whole life. That’s why you’re here,” he said.

 The award is named after Frank J. Gaziano, a leading businessman who played high school football in Massachusetts, college football at Holy Cross, professionally for the Boston Yanks and Washington Redskins and wrote a popular trivia column for the Portland Press Herald.

Each finalist was nominated by their coach. The top recipients were selected by the awards committee based on their strong leadership on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.

The nine-member awards committee was chaired by Windham coach Matt Perkins and consisted of current and former coaches from around the state, including Spruce Mountain head coach Mark Bonnevie.

Each winner received a trophy to be displayed in their school’s trophy case for one year, as well as a $2,500 scholarship. Runners-up received a $500 scholarship. All eight finalists received a trophy and a jacket.

 The tangible rewards may be rare for linemen, but they aren’t the only thing they get from football. Bates College defensive line coach and former Lewiston High School head coach Skip Capone told the finalists to remember what football gave them and to continue paying it forward.

“Everybody in this room has been touched by this wonderful game,” he said. “The things that the game of football has given you, you’re going to have with you for the rest of your life. Keep giving back.”

Pandora hopes to join Capone next fall at Bates, where, in addition to continuing his football and track careers, he plans to begin pre-med studies, with the ultimate goal of one day curing his older brother’s rheumatoid arthritis.

If he reaches that goal, Pandora will receive more recognition than he ever imagined. But as being a lineman has taught him, recognition isn’t where the true satisfaction lies.

“You work really hard all week and during the games and everything and you don’t get recognized,” he said. “But you just feel good personally knowing that you practiced hard, you did your best and you helped your team achieve what they were trying to do.”