ORONO — For the third straight season, the University of Maine football team has a battle for the starting quarterback job. Warren Smith and Chris Treister of Cape Elizabeth were locked in it for the previous two years.

Smith of Forked River, N.J. eventually won out both times and led the Black Bears to the playoffs last season and a No. 8 national ranking.

Now it’s Marcus Wasilewski of Kulpmont, Pa. and John Ebeling of Mahwah, N.J. both juniors, vying for the position.

Saturday morning in blustery and chilly conditions, both looked to put their best foot forward in trying to win the starting job at the annual Jeff Cole Spring Game at Alfond Stadium.

The conclusion to a month of spring practice was a scrimmage with 60 plays pitting the first offense (Blue) against the first defense (White) with substitutions on both sides. The offense had the edge as it scored three times.

But as for who came away with the edge at the all important signal caller position between Wasilewski and Ebeling, it’s still neck and neck.

“They’ve been on the same level since day one,” said head coach Jack Cosgrove.

“We’re not done evaluating yet. Marcus made some good throws and John did likewise. We put the red shirts (non-contact) on them. It’s hard to see them at their best with those on. One of them with surface as No. 1 and that will happen in preseason,” said Cosgrove.

Unlike Smith and Treister, neither has taken a snap in a regular season game before.

Ebeling was used as a wide receiver at times and caught two touchdown passes in the playoffs. Wasilewski saw some action on special teams last season.

The fact Ebeling can play elsewhere gives him more flexibility, but Cosgrove added “that doesn’t mean he won’t be the starting quarterback.”

Cosgrove said Wasilewski is more of a pocket quarterback than Ebeling, who is more of a running threat.

Both played equally in the scrimmage. Wasilewski threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Art Williams. It came near the end of the hour-long scrimmage and against the first-team defense.

“It was a great drive and I was proud of the offense line for taking charge,” Wasilewski said.

Anchoring that line is left tackle Josh Spearin, a senior from Limington, who played at Bonny Eagle.

“I thought we did all right on offense under these conditions,” Wasilewski said.

The weather gave it a feeling of November football.

“There are a lot of things we can work on. I missed a couple of throws and I can’t miss those. Overall, it was a productive day,” he said.

Asked who he thought has the edge at quarterback, Wasilewski said: “That’s for the coaches to decide. All I can do is work hard. John will do the same.”

Cosgrove said he saw a lot of good things on both sides of the ball.

“It was a pretty clean scrimmage with not a lot of penalities.”

One of the best things he liked about it was the number of young players who saw action.

“It’s their first spring with us. Those guys were in there with the first unit,” he said.

A concern heading into next season, said Cosgrove, is the defensive line.

“We’re not as experienced there,” he said.

“We have some work to do. We have to grow our younger players into those spots.”

The other touchdowns were scored by running back Terrel Walker, a junior, and wide receiver Josiah Hartley, a red-shirt freshman from Bangor. Hartley caught a pass in the corner of the end zone from third string quarterback Ryan Stroud of Dover Foxcroft.

“It was a good feeling,” Hartley said.

“The first year is a huge step. The biggest difference is the tempo and getting used to it. I feel I’ve improved my skills since the start of spring practice. I’m looking to get better and hopefully contribute in some way,” he said.

First string tailback David Hood, a sophomore from Galloway, N.J. , missed the scrimmage because of a quadricep injury.

Maine opens the season at Boston College on Sept. 8. The Black Bears’ first Colonial Athletic Association game is Sept. 29 against Villanova at home.

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