No stickers. That was the message the George Mason High School freshman football team conveyed to their coaches following a lopsided 40-0 loss at Madison County last Wednesday.

“We talked to the team after the game about the stickers,” said Head Coach LaBryan Thomas referring to the tokens he and the other coaches award after a game for solid play on the field. “But the team said no one deserved recognition. That says a lot about this team that they can be that honest about themselves.”

The lesson in maturity was the one positive that the team could take away from a game where little went right.

“It was like we never got off the bus,” Thomas said. “Madison was good — you’ve got to give them credit. They were the first opponent we faced this year that was probably bigger and pretty fast, and we didn’t respond.”

“Madison is a district opponent, but that two hour bus ride probably got to us,” freshman Sebastian Zorn said, with teammate Misael Benitez adding “It was not like playing at home where we defend our own field.”

Even with this loss, the freshman Mustangs are having a good season with a record of 2-1. Their next game is at home next Wednesday, Oct. 25 against Bull Run District rival Clarke County. Game time is at 6:30pm at Moore Cadillac Stadium, and this time the Mustangs will be ready.

“When the team got into the film room the next day the players saw for themselves why they didn’t do well,” Mason Assistant Andre Jackson said. “Most importantly the team now understands the value of being prepared to compete mentally and physically.”