YOUNGSTOWN — Emily Stefik doesn’t hesitate anymore.
Four years ago, as a freshman, Stefik was called up to varsity heading into the Lew-Port’s state championship game run, one of only four freshmen cAll-ups in former coach Norm Forney’s career. Playing with older teammates made Stefik want to ensure everything she did was perfect, setting her own standard for her varsity career.
But after scoring her first two varsity goals in Lew-Port’s Class B1 quarterfinal win against Olean in 2021, Stefik became more comfortable and earned more playing time that featured standouts Sarah Woods, Sophie Auer and Elina Kunik, all of whom became college athletes.
Stefik, meanwhile, slowly saw her production increase with each season. Two years ago, Stefik tallied eight goals and 21 points and made another jump to finish with 18 goals and 42 points last season.
But going into her senior season, the Lancers needed a new top option offensively and Stefik was ready to answer the call. Named the Niagara Frontier League Player of the Year, the forward posted career-highs with 23 goals and 56 points and helped Lew-Port win its sixth Section VI championship in seven years.
Filling Lew-Port’s need for a main threat on offense and helping the team finish in regional play for a fourth straight year earned Stefik Greater Niagara Newspapers Player of the Year. All Stefik wanted to do was continue the standards passed down from older teammates like Auer and Woods.
“I underestimate myself a lot, too, but it’s just the norm for Lew-Port to have these really great girls as leaders,” Stefik said. “And then finally to step in that place … I just kind of thought that I was just like anybody else. I guess the hard work that I put in, especially the last few months to get my team all the way to regionals, I guess, it’s paid off.”
With Stefik leading the way, Lew-Port finished the season with 18 wins, its ninth consecutive winning season since 2016 and finished 18th in the section in goals and assists. Stefik scored in 11 of her 20 games played and provided a boost during the postseason, with nine points in five contests.
Stefik also recorded her 100th career point on her first goal during a 2-1 regular-season win against Niagara Wheatfield on Sept. 27. But along with learning how not to get in her own way, Stefik continued to keep playing, this time with Niagara Surf Soccer Club, with practices three times a week.
In March, the team traveled to Portugal for two weeks to compete against international competition, which helped give her a new perspective about the game and raised her confidence. Back home, Stefik had a full regimen during the offseason to expand her game, including applying what she learned in her Exercise Science program at BOCES for training.
Stefik watches game tape of FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandrowski to see how and where he moves with the ball and has participated in national showcases, including in San Diego in February and in Indianapolis Nov. 22-24. Last year, Stefik recognized a major difference in her play.
“When the ball comes to me, it doesn’t just come off my foot,” Stefik said. “I have control now and I noticed that and that does make a difference, especially with assisting and in goal scoring. When you have a better touch, that automatically gives up the upper hand in the game, automatically. Being able to pass and control the ball is worth more than anything in soccer right now.”
Being a forward wasn’t the first position Stefik was assigned to on varsity. As a freshman, Stefik played outside back before moving to outside midfield as a sophomore and then into the attacking zone the final two years.
At the start of her senior season, Stefik needed time to adjust to being Lew-Port’s top scorer before finding the back of the net in seven of its last 12 games. But on the wing or up top in the attacking zone, Stefik found her groove again pushing the pace, leading the Lancers to average 3.3 goals per game.
“She has always been a fast style player,” Lew-Port head coach Emily Brook said. “She wants to go fast. Sometimes, even if we’re up, she goes too fast. I like to tell her, ‘Slow down, we’re up, you don’t need to go fast.’ She’s going to always go hard 110%. There’s no off switch for her.”