In the final minute of stoppage time, Peoria City’s dream season was on life support. The third-year club making its second postseason appearance, and fresh off the first playoff win in team history, needed a miracle unlike any other.
In Sunday’s conference semifinal match, The Carp’s archrivals and elder statesman of the league, the Des Moines Menace, scored to go ahead 5-4 in the second minute of two minutes added on in the second extra time period. Aside from a rowdy Menace bench, you could hear a pin drop in Shea Stadium.
But Peoria City simply wanted to win more.