Doctors once said Anika Ignozzi might never play sports. To that, her parents had a wistful reaction, but they didn't give up hope as their daughter grew up and used soccer to prove a lot of people wrong.
On Wednesday, the family stood together at Burrell High School as Ignozzi signed a letter of intent to play Division I soccer.
Ignozzi, a senior standout at Burrell, signed with Wagner of the Northeast Conference. She verbally committed in the fall.
“It's something that has motivated me my whole life,” Ignozzi said of her ailment. She was born with a defect called congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Her diaphragm never formed completely, which made her intestines “suffocate” her lung and heart.
“Because of this, I was born with only half of a left lung,” she said. “After I was born they had to do immediate surgery on me to put my intestines back in place because I couldn't breathe. I had a 50 percent chance of living, and after surgery, I had another 50 percent chance of living.”
A four-year starter at center midfield, Ignozzi is a two-year captain and a two-time all-section player. She was the MVP of the WPIAL all-star game last season, posting a goal and an assist.
Ignozzi wants to be a physician's assistant, and Wagner offers a five-year program in that field.
“It was a perfect fit,” she said. “The (Wagner) team is very supportive; I talked to a couple (players) who went through (the program) and have done well.”
Ignozzi also is a member of Burrell's track team and runs on the 400- and 1,600-meter relays. The 400 relay won a WPIAL title last spring. Sprinting also was frowned upon because of her ailment, but again, she ran right past the doubters.
“I have always dreamed of playing Division I soccer,” said Ignozzi, who currently is in-season with her Allegheny Force Football Club cup team out of Monroeville. “Since I could walk, I played soccer.”
Ignozzi is the third Burrell player to commit to a Division I school for soccer in the last five years, joining Morgan Sharick (Pitt) and Samantha Shepherd (VMI).
Ignozzi was named after professional golf legend Annika Sorenstam, although she isn't into golf.
“It's too boring for me,” Ignozzi said.
Martin out of Cager
The Cager Classic committee will not include former Highlands forward Lavontae Martin in this weekend's all-star basketball festivities. Martin, who initially was on the West roster but decided to transfer and withdrew from Highlands last week, will not be replaced.
The Cager committee decided it would be best to take Martin off the roster because he no longer is a Highlands student. Martin transferred to Gateway.
He was disappointed to learn he'd miss the event.
“Since I was a freshman I've always wanted to play in the Cager; that was one of the reasons I played a full WPIAL season at Highlands,” Martin said.
The West team will have 11 players.
Mars expedition
Mars senior basketball players Christian Schmitt and John Castello say they will play in the Cager Classic on Saturday at Highlands — all things considered.
Mars (23-6) plays Neumann-Goretti (26-4) at 8 p.m. Friday in Hershey, so Schmitt and Castello will miss the Cager skills competition. But they don't want to miss the game itself. Schmitt and Castello will suit up for the West team.
“I'm definitely looking forward to everything,” Castello said. “I think (the Cager) will be a lot of fun to be in and play with some great talent.”
Bill Beckner Jr. is the local sports editor for the Valley News Dispatch edition of the Tribune-Review. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com.
