It was a magical way to start the season, and convincing evidence that scrap and desire can be plenty to win a soccer game.

The Lawrence High boys soccer team erased a 3-0 second-half deficit and stunned Manhattan, 4-3, Wednesday night at Youth Sports Inc. fields with three goals in the last 16 minutes that were willed in by determination and grit.

“It was because of their heart,” LHS coach David Platt said. “That’s all it was. You can’t just name one. They all pulled together.”

The Lions are 1-0, and everyone on the roster deserved credit.

After falling down 3-0 early in the second half on three variations of Manhattan scores — an unmarked man that drilled a shot past LHS goalkeeper Colin Flanders, a free kick that floated just inside the top left corner, and a penalty kick on a foul in the box — Lawrence High looked down for the count.

Not so fast.

The Lions slowly got going after the PK, starting when senior Daniel Miranda beat a defender for the ball and scored far post from 10 yards out in the 49th minute.

Just like that, things really began to roll for the Lions, proof that no lead is safe if there’s enough time to erase it.

“I scored that lucky one,” Miranda said, “and the whole team started playing with heart.”

In the 65th minute, LHS struck again when sophomore Michael Valverde headed in a deflection off the post.

6Sports video: Lawrence High School’s soccer team wins opener

Sophomore Ignacio Carvajal added the game-tying goal five minutes later when he finished a nice cross from Miranda.

Miranda finished what he started in the 72nd minute, weaving through the congestion off a free kick, finding the stray ball in the box and poking it past the Indians goalkeeper for the winner.

“He’s a little mosquito,” Platt said of Miranda. “He plays clean soccer, but he’s so fast and so small, and he gets on them. That’s hard to deal with.”

While the offense took care of business, Flanders, a sophomore, was solid protecting the other net. He notched 11 saves on the night, and played with a fearlessness not expected in a sophomore making his varsity debut.

“After those first couple of goals, I was down,” Flanders said, “but when we came back with that first goal, I knew we could keep it up.”

Manhattan had opportunities to tie — including a 40-foot shot that drilled off the post with seven minutes to play — but Flanders and the defense in front of him were effective burning time and clearing balls out of the danger zone. As the final whistle blew, the Lions celebrated an incredibly dramatic start to the season at midfield.

“It’s a different team than the last three years,” Miranda said. “I’m real proud.”

Lawrence High turns around and plays today at Shawnee Heights.

The game starts at 6:15 p.m. in Tecumseh.