Providence Coach Sutton Dies at 41

Paul Sutton, longtime athletic director and coach at Providence High in Burbank, died at his Simi Valley home Thursday after an 18-month battle with colon cancer. He was 41.

Sutton was revered for his dedication at the small private school, coaching boys’ basketball, cross-country and track and field before he was diagnosed with cancer in February 1998.

Sutton’s condition limited his coaching the basketball team last season, when it won the Liberty League. In 14 seasons, Sutton guided the Pioneers to a 166-151 record and three league titles.

“He legitimized small-school athletics,” said Dan Haasch, the boys’ basketball coach at Buckley and a close friend. “He [coached] for all the right reasons--he did it for the kids.”

Survivors include Sutton’s wife Dana, daughter Alison and son Nate.

Funeral services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday at St. Finbar Catholic Church, 2010 W. Olive in Burbank, with a reception to follow at Providence.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to an educational trust for Sutton’s children. Information: (818) 846-8141.

FOOTBALL

* Colorado transfer Anwawn Jones, an outside linebacker from Montclair Prep High, is academically ineligible and might not play this season.

Jones, a 6-foot-5, 255-pound junior who was expected to compete for a starting spot, fell short of transferable credits after attending Valley College and Laney College in Oakland last year, when he did not play football.

Jones was a reserve for two seasons at Northwestern, where he played for Gary Barnett, the new coach at Colorado.

Jones has the option of practicing this season while attending Colorado and having one year of eligibility, or earning the required credits at a junior college and transferring to another four-year school with two years of eligibility.

TENNIS

* Jason Cook of Calabasas defeated Vince Mackey of Pasadena, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (12-10) Thursday at Warner Center to advance to the finals of the L.A. Fitness Open.

Cook will face Boris Bosnjkovic of Czechoslovakia, who defeated Glenn Michibata of Woodland Hills, 6-4, 6-7 (7-4), 6-3, in today’s finals at 6:30 p.m. R.P. Kojian will face former Taft High standout Brahna Pastorini in the women’s final at 5 p.m.

TRACK AND FIELD

* Schquay Brignac, winner of the last two City Section girls’ high jump titles for Cleveland High, won’t return to the Reseda school for her junior year, her mother said.

Janice Brignac said Schquay will attend Birmingham or Taft in the fall.

“We’re just analyzing both schools right now,” Janice said. “We’ll probably make a decision by next week.”

Schquay was academically ineligible during part of her sophomore year at Cleveland, but her mother declined to give reasons for the impending transfer.

Taft edged Birmingham, 82-78, to win its second consecutive City title in May and Brignac’s transfer to either school would make it a preseason favorite in 2000.

* Nancy Dollar, a senior who has run 9:48.15 for 3,000 meters and 17:15.20 for 5,000, has transferred to Cal State Northridge from Baylor.

SOFTBALL

* The Crescenta Valley Condors defeated the Riverside Sliders, 2-1, to win the American Softball Assn. Women’s B Division national championship Sunday in Spokane, Wash.

Stacey Atwood pitched a four-hitter with seven strikeouts and Mirate Galaviz singled in the winning run in the seventh inning for the Condors.

Crescenta Valley came into the championship round undefeated, but lost to the Sliders, 2-1, in nine innings to force a second game.

DIVING

* Members of the Dive Thousand Oaks youth club dominated the Thousand Oaks Diving Invitational last weekend at Thousand Oaks High.

Boys’ winners included David Plummer in the 10-11 Junior Olympic Division, Adam Nunez in the 12-13 Novice Division, Dylan Ball in the Junior Novice Division, and Ellery Gordon in the 9-and-under Novice Division.

In girls’ competition, Chelsea Hartling placed first in the 10-11 Novice Division.

MACCABI GAMES

* Craig Cohen of Newhall and Jason Brown of Stevenson Ranch combined on a one-hitter and Los Angeles beat Philadelphia, 15-1, to win the baseball gold medal in the Maccabi Youth Games in Rochester, N.Y.

Los Angeles also won gold medals in softball and boys’ soccer.

Alyssa Mazur of Sherman Oaks and Rachel Murray of Westlake Village each had two hits, and Elizza Reizman of Agoura hit a two-run double in a 6-0 victory over Long Beach in the softball final.

Itzik Rappaport of Calabasas scored all of Los Angeles’ goals in a 3-2 victory over Suffolk, N.Y., in the soccer final.