Selfless Emily Romero sets Bellevue West soccer scoring record as Thunderbirds roll on

Video: Emily Romero's highlights vs. Papillion-LaVista
See Emily Romero's highlights from the day she set the school scoring record

Bellevue West midfielder/forward Emily Romero recently entrenched her name above all other Thunderbird girls soccer names after breaking the school's career scoring mark in a 2-1 triumph over rival Papillion-LaVista on March 26.

Known for her clutch performances in big moments, Romero scored both of Bellevue West's goals in the narrow triumph. The four-year starter's first goal surpassed Jenna Pendley's (2002-05) career scoring record of 91. Her second goal secured the win.

"It's one thing to score a goal and yet another to score a goal in a big moment," Bellevue West soccer coach Gauthier Schlerizin said about Romero, who now has 123 career points. "When we need a goal, she'll get it. And she'll do it again. That's the highlight. Consistency is what makes a player great, and it's what makes her one of the best."

Romero is capable of scoring at will, and reestablishing the entire Bellevue West record book wouldn't have been out of the question for Bellevue West's 2014 most valuable player. But team success and helping her teammates contribute was more important to Romero.

Schlerizin admires the way his senior star either scores those important goals, or finds an open teammate for the dagger.

"I think the world of her. Emily is one of the best players that has come through here," Schlerizin said. "She is unique. She has the skill set to do it all, and yet she puts her teammates first. If we need a goal and one of her teammates has a little better opportunity to score, Emily will give the ball up in order to get the goal and get the win."

To date, Romero has been credited with 34 points on the season, second only to Thunderbird sophomore Courtney Wallingford, who has tallied 37 Bellevue West points through the first 10 contests. Romero has scored a career-high 13 goals her senior season while dishing out eight assists.

"We thought if we could get her to 15-15 that we'd have an opportunity to win a lot of games," Scherlizin said of Romero's goal-assist ratio in 2014-15. "She has 13 goals already with six games left to play. All of Emily's hard work, on and off the ball, is creating scoring opportunities for herself and for our other shooters."

And the wins? Romero and company are 8-2 with both losses coming at the hands of defending Class A state champion Omaha Marian, which won both contests by identical 1-0 scores.

"Losing to Marian is a confidence booster for us. It proves we can play with the defending state champions and teams like that," Romero said. "I believe we can go as far as we want to push ourselves. Right now we're playing well, and I believe we're only going to improve. We're only going to get better. As long as we continue to improve, we'll win games and winning games will improve our (wild card) points. That will lead to an even better seeding.

"I think we have a great, great chance to get to state, and an even better chance once we get there. I think we have an opportunity to do something special."

With Romero taking the field as a starter, Schlerizin's Thunderbirds are 40-20 but still looking for the school's first girls state soccer championship. The Thunderbirds last made the state tournament in 2013, falling to Lincoln Pius X 2-0 in first round action to conclude a 12-6 season.

Whether she and her Thunderbird teammates are battling through the remainder of their regular season schedule, districts or ultimately the state tournament, Romero often reflects back upon the practices and workouts she and her brother Jacob shared prior to her Thunderbird varsity career.

"He helped me in ways that I don't think he even knows," Romero said. "His passion for the game inspired me and led me down the initial path. Then as he would practice, I would jump at the opportunity to practice with him and it was those times when he would help me build my skill and my confidence.

"Mostly he helped me discover the natural ability I had within the game of soccer."

Romero's physical gifts are well documented in Thunderbird lore. But it was her attention to detail that caught the eye of Nebraska-Omaha women's soccer coach Don Klosterman and his staff as they watched Romero perform in club ball.

After visiting several major Division I-A programs, Romero visited the Omaha campus, which is about a 20-minute drive for the future Maverick. As soon as she walked on campus, Romero knew she would be playing soccer for Klosterman.

"They saw me out there playing," Romero said. "They saw how I did the little things. I was the one making plays, but I also made them happen.

"I like making other people successful. It's a great game and I think people should get to play it at their fullest potential."