Whitaker and Vargas Lose Bouts

It took Lance Whitaker seven days to get a chance to fight in the Pan American Games. It took a Cuban a little more than two minutes to get him out.

The biggest member of the U.S. boxing team fell the hardest Friday night when Cuba’s Leonardo Martinez stopped him only 2:15 into the fight at Mar del Plata, Argentina.

“I think I was a little too anxious,” said the 6-foot-8 Whitaker, a Mission Hills resident who had a walkover victory in his first bout. “When I got ready the first time, I was psyched. This time I wasn’t.”

The loss, coupled with the defeat of 17-year-old Fernando Vargas of Oxnard at 139 pounds, left the United States with only three boxers going into the weekend finals.

“I’m glad I could get a chance to represent the U.S.,” said Vargas, who like Whitaker goes home with a bronze medal.

Basketball

Jim Woodard, longtime basketball coach at Taft High, announced his retirement from coaching after 22 years at the Woodland Hills campus. He will remain as a teacher.

Woodard coached the boys’ team for 13 years, compiling a record of 184-105. He was The Times’ Coach of the Year in 1991.

Woodard changed positions with Mark Drucker this year and coached the girls’ team to an 18-3 record and the City 4-A quarterfinals.

Baseball

Three former area high school standouts are listed in Baseball America’s list of the 100 top minor-league prospects.

Former Crespi pitcher Jeff Suppan, a right-hander with the Boston Red Sox, rates 50th. Left-hander Andrew Lorraine of Hart High ranks 71st and Kennedy High outfielder Garret Anderson is 93rd. Lorraine and Anderson played briefly last season in the majors with the Angels.

Track and Field

A memorial service for Don Green, former track and field coach at Cal Lutheran, has been scheduled for April 2 at 3 p.m. at the Methodist Church of Thousand Oaks. Green, 75, died Wednesday after a long illness.

* Contributing: Associated Press, Steve Elling, John Lynch, Bryan Rodgers.