DELTA — The extra point play in high school football is such a critical play. It's no gimme and often determines the outcome.

Just ask the Delta Rabbits. With no confidence in his kicking game, coach Dean Fowles went for what would have been a game-winning two-point conversion with one minute remaining in the game and Lehi up 15-14. When the Pioneers Riley Rampton stopped Delta's Lawson Fitzgerald a yard short of the goal line the Rabbits came up one point shy. Lehi's win knots up Region 8 with the Pioneers now tied with Delta and North Sanpete atop the standings with one league loss.

"We just haven't felt good about our kicking game all year," Fowles said. "But if everyone would have blocked their guy we would have had a win, but one guy missed his block."

In big games the team that makes the fewer mistakes usually wins. Not the case Friday night in Delta. The Pioneers won despite throwing four interceptions, coughing up the ball on a fumble and committing three crucial dead-ball personal fouls. Not to mention giving Delta one last chance by running out of bounds with 30 seconds remaining with the Rabbits having no time-outs.

The Rabbits' turnovers were just more costly, and Delta did not score after any of Lehi's turnovers.

"Our defense has been carrying us all year," Lehi coach Joe Hayes said. "I just can't say enough for the way they fought in that second half."

After moving the ball at will in the first half, Delta's offense was almost none existent in the second half. They didn't get their first second-half first down until there were only four minutes remaining in the game. On their first eight offensive plays of the second half the Rabbits had negative 28 yards.

The outcome was really determined by big plays. On Delta's second drive quarterback Jesse Shiner hit Fitzgerald coming out of the backfield for a 30-yard touchdown strike. Fitzgerald also carried a fumbled pitch into the end zone for a two-point conversion, putting Delta up 8-0.

The Pioneers with eight first-half first downs were gaining good yardage, but mistakes repeatedly killed them. Pioneers quarterback Justin Hadfield tossed three first-half interceptions, which kept Lehi scoreless at intermission.

However, the Pioneers were fortunate to be trailing only by eight at halftime. In the final minute of the first half, two passes from Shiner into the end zone were just out of the receivers' reach. But after completing a 35-yard pass to Zach Nelson at the 8-yard line with six seconds remaining the Rabbits had one more chance to score. However, the Pioneers were able to stop Nelson barely out of the end zone, on about the 1-foot line, on another completion as the first half expired.