Prior Lake junior Taylor Kropp scored 28 seconds into the second overtime on Tuesday to send the No. 2-seeded and No. 2-ranked Lakers to the Section 3 championship game with a thrilling 15-14 triumph over No. 3 seed Eagan in a section semifinal at Burnsville Hight School.

Prior Lake (13-2) takes on top-seeded and top-ranked Rosemount in the Section 3 title game on Thursday. Rosemount beat Eastview 13-6 in Tuesday's other semifinal.

Prior Lake beat Rosemount 12-10 back on May 2.

"He is one of the best athletes in the state," Prior Lake coach Chris Fleck said about Kropp, an attackman who has 18 goals this season. "He played an awesome game for us and was all over the place. I was so proud of him that he scored the game winner."

Kropp's speed and quickness is instantly noticeable. He can separate himself from anyone, an advantage he used to score his overtime winner.

"I told our coach in the huddle that I wanted the ball, and I knew that I could beat them," Kropp said. "After that, I was able to get by and got the shot on net. It is one of the greatest feelings in the world to have."

The Lakers were down by one after the first quarter, but stormed out in the second with seven goals to build an 11-7 lead at the half.

"That was a huge second quarter, and we ended up needing it," Kropp said. "We bounced back pretty good after a tough first."

Cam Torres scored for the Wildcats (10-5) with just 1:10 left in the fourth to eventually force overtime.

Prior Lake's Aaron Wiederhoeft had to come up with a few big stops in the closing seconds of the fourth and in the first overtime to give his team a shot to advance.

"It's kind of a love-hate thing with the pressure," Wiederhoeft said. "At times I really love it because it is so exciting, but there are times when it really gets tough. We won tonight, so I am loving it right now."

"It's going to be another great game and hopefully we can beat them like we did earlier in the year," Wiederhoeft said.

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