Ben Walker might have thought he was seeing things.

With just a few minutes left in the game Friday, Walker — standing directly in front of the goal — watched the soccer ball he kicked roll into Lakewood’s goal, and then out the back under the net. The referee watching the kick determined that because Lakewood hadn’t secured the net on its home field, Walker’s goal didn’t count.

The miscue cost the Falcons, who lost the game 2-1. If at least one lesson was learned, the Falcons will know to check the nets before the start of any games in the future. They never did before, said the team’s coach, Fran Einterz, because this is something that never happens.

“Something like this is a really tough one to swallow,” he said this week.

It was an unexpected end to game that started so well. After senior midfielder Scott Perkins scored the first, and subsequently only, point of the day for the Falcons, the Cougars needed just two to get ahead and stay ahead.

Competition between the Falcons and the Cougars was tough, said Einterz. The game started slowly for South Whidbey, leaving the Falcons the second half to put up their best fight against the undefeated Cougars. The first half of the game, according to Einterz, was the only time he’s seen the Falcons outshot all season. The almost-score by Walker, a sophomore midfielder, didn’t help either.

Goalkeeper Joe Gunn at least kept the Falcons in the game, though he didn’t have the advantage of an unsecured net to fall back on. He doesn’t need it, said Einterz.

“He’s the best keeper I’ve seen so far,” his coach said of the goalkeepers in the North Cascades Conference.

The Falcons are now 2-3 overall, while the Cougars moved to 5-0 on the season.

The Falcons next play Saturday at home against Meridian. The junior varsity team plays at noon and varsity at 2 p.m. at Waterman Field at South Whidbey High School.