Vargas to Take On Another Olympian in 10-Round Bout

Fernando Vargas of Oxnard, who improved to 10-0 last week with a second-round knockout of Dan Connolly in Miami, will fight again April 14 against Romallis Ellis in a 10-round bout at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Foxwoods, Conn.

Vargas, 20, has knocked out all of his opponents since turning pro in March 1997. Ellis (24-3, 17 knockouts) was a member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic team. Fargas was on the 1996 U.S. Olympic team.

Derby night: Lightweights Efren Hinojosa and Olegario DeLeon will meet in an eight-round main event March 26 in the next installment of monthly boxing at the Derby Club at Seaside Park in Ventura.

The five-bout card also will include super-welterweight Tony Garcia of Oxnard against Sabastian Valdez of Canoga Park. Israel Corea of Oxnard will fight a junior-lightweight bout.

Tickets and information: (805) 653-2533 or 247-0135.

Key victory: Robert Garcia of Oxnard, who won the International Boxing Federation junior-lightweight title last week with a 12-round unanimous decision over Harold Warren in Miami, will be honored Sunday by the city at Plaza Park.

Garcia, 23 and undefeated in 30 professional fights, will be presented the key to the city by Oxnard Mayor Manuel Lopez. Festivities begin at 1 p.m. and will include live music and ballet.

BASKETBALL

Three’s company: Ruben Douglas of Bell-Jeff High has been selected Santa Fe League player of the year for the third consecutive season.

Douglas, who has signed with defending NCAA champion Arizona, averaged a region-high 34.8 points this season.

Bell-Jeff center Mike West and St. Genevieve forward Mark Padilla were also selected all-league.

Long’s way: Scott Long of Chaminade was selected the most valuable player of the Mission League.

Long, who averaged 15.4 points and 8.0 rebounds, led the Eagles to their first league and large-schools Southern Section titles. The senior swingman has accepted an appointment to Navy.

Four of Long’s teammates earned first-team honors--Justin Beach, Justin Stewart, Cayce Cook and Scott Borchart. Harvard-Westlake’s Russell Lakey and Notre Dame’s Dante Ward were also all-league.

Dynamic duo: Hoover’s Mark Hull and Muir’s John Parker were selected co-most valuable players of the Pacific League.

Hull, a senior center and three-year starter, averaged 27.9 points and 13.9 rebounds a game.

Alex Tima of Crescenta Valley made the first team.