MONMOUTH — Mere inches helped decide Monday’s showdown of reigning boys soccer state champions

Rory Foyt’s second goal of the game gave Monmouth the lead, and the defending Class D champion Mustangs held on for a 3-1 victory over Class C champ Mt. Abram.

The go-ahead goal was scored in the 66th minute, after Monmouth (6-1) earned a penalty kick when Mt. Abram (5-2) committed a foul inside the 18-yard box. Roadrunners goalie Logan Dube appeared to make a diving stop of Foyt’s shot, but the official ruled the ball barely crossed the goal line, giving the Mustangs a 2-1 lead.

“The keeper made a great read on the ball,”Foyt said. “It just got by his hand and (he) pulled it back out, but it was already past the line.”

Mt. Abram coach Jason Wing said the officials had the best view and was no reason to disagree with call.

“We’re trying to keep our composure,” Wing said. “At that point, it wouldn’t have done us any good. We just need to focus on the next play, and we needed to try to come back and respond the way we needed to, to get the game tied up.”

Monmouth coach Joe Fletcher said he couldn’t see if the ball crossed the line, but he could tell by Foyt’s reaction that the Mustangs had scored the go-ahead goal.

Fletcher also said that at that point of the game, the next goal was likely to be a big factor in the outcome.

“We talked about that: If they scored again, we would have our hands full,” Fletcher said. “… I told the boys, ‘If we score first, we would win the game.'”

Freshman Bryce Fletcher added an insurance goal for Monmouth 10 minutes later.

“It was a great goal, great composure,” Foyt said. “One-on-one with the keeper. He buried it.”

ROADRUNNERS SCORE FIRST

Monmouth controlled possession early in the game, and shortly after a direct kick, Dube had to make back-to-back saves in the eighth minute.

The Roadrunners started to keep the ball on their offensive side of the field, and Chase Ross made a pass in the box to Killian Pillsbury, who slipped the ball past Monmouth goalie Lewis Lamoreau midway through the first half.

The goal was one of the few bright spots for the Roadrunners.

“We got that one early,” Wing said. “We still, I don’t know, we were down a little bit. I feel like we weren’t matching their energy at times. We were playing everything up the middle. It was too much for kind of one dynamic today. We weren’t using all our weapons.”

Foyt tied the game five minutes into the second half with a low shot that beat Dube (six saves).

“We were playing pretty well in the first half, and we came out a little flat, but it was good to see us string some passes together and start finishing,” Foyt said.

The Mustangs had a chance to take the lead two minutes later on a direct kick following a Mt. Abram yellow card, but Foyt’s shot sailed over the crossbar.

Mt. Abram nearly went ahead in the 55th minute, but Lamoreau (five saves) made a stop.

Landen Marble had another chance for the Roadrunners midway through the second half, but Lamoreau challenged him and made the stop.

“We’ll go home tonight, we’ll look at the film,” Wing said. “We’ll find the holes, the things we’re missing. The players, they’ll hold themselves accountable and we’ll make the adjustments and get ready to come at Gardner on Wednesday.”