Granada Hills Sets Pace, 2-1 : Prep soccer: Confusion over start time causes Kennedy to rush onto field, where it lost match for league title.

Clearly, there was a mix-up.

At 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, the scheduled starting time of the boys’ soccer match between Granada Hills and Kennedy highs, there was no sign of the host Golden Cougars, the field had no chalk sidelines and the goals stood without their nets in a corner of the field.

Because of a miscommunication, Kennedy Coach Fred Singer and his team believed the match was to start at 2:45 p.m.

At 1:35, Cougar players hurriedly jogged out of the locker room, dressing along the way, then carried the goals into place and set up the nets while Singer fussed with the chalk lining machine.

Not exactly what one would expect to preface the match to decide the North Valley League championship, but for one team, at least, the effort proved worthwhile.

Martin Felman’s goal on a corner kick midway through the second half gave Granada Hills a 2-1 victory, assuring itself of the league title and a City Section playoff berth. Granada Hills is 8-3-1, 6-2-1 in Northwest Valley Conference play and 5-0-1 in league play.

Kennedy (8-2-1, 5-2-1, 3-1-1) finishes the regular season Thursday against Cleveland and could earn an at-large playoff berth.

Felman’s goal came after a low corner kick by Josh Brenan that hit the near goal post and skipped past goalie Francisco Reynoso directly to Felman, standing right in front of the open net. “Our boys thought the ball was going out,” Singer said. “It just didn’t go out far enough.”

Kennedy took a 1-0 lead minutes before halftime on a goal by Adam Rofer, who took a soft cross from Renan Avanzini and touched it past goalie Matt Bohnam.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, Highlander Ronnie Culver tied the match on a hard half-volley from about 25 yards. Culver hit the ball with topspin and it dipped into the right corner of the net past goalie Sean Beattie, who played the first half and part of the second before Reynoso entered the match.

Felman put the Highlanders ahead for good about 10 minutes later.

But Kennedy began to time its downfield runs and passes better, repeatedly bursting through the Granada Hills defense for excellent scoring opportunities.

“The last 20 minutes we busted through about six times, but we couldn’t put it in the goal,” Singer said.