By Steven Shaff, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – What do you want to be when you grow up? St. Francis senior golfers Patricia Sweeney and Olivia Alcoran might have been asked that question in kindergarten. If they said championship golfers, they have accomplished their goals.
"They are unicorns," said Head Coach Bert Jones. "They are the type of people you search for and hope to get."
The co-captains completed their senior regular season undefeated representing St. Francis in team competitions. They continued winning they started as freshmen who made immediate impacts on the varsity golf program, finishing the year with 31 consecutive dual wins, eight consecutive Delta League center match wins and four Delta League team titles.
"It shows how much hard work we put in and how good our team has been over the last four years," said Sweeney.
Both were four-year selections to the All-Delta League team but it has always been about the team success.
"Both Olivia and Patricia have been great co-captains," said Jones. "Since I have been coaching for three years, I have perspective and the chemistry this year is very team-oriented. I give them a lot of credit to them."
But Jones is proud of his senior duo for more than just the golf.
"Academically they are incredible and from the standpoint of values you cannot ask for anything else," said Head Coach Bert Jones. "From the dedication to sport, they are passionate about the sport."
The bond between the two incredibly dates to kindergarten. They have attended school together their whole lives and golf has only brought them closer together.
"She has been stuck with me since age five," said Sweeney. "We went to kindergarten together. At this point, she like a sister."
Alcoran agrees with the sister label.
"Patricia is a sister to me," said Alcoran. "We have gone to school together since we were five. We have played on the same teams and played with each other outside of school. We are such good friends."
After advancing in the first round of the section playoffs last week at the Division I tournament with a second-place finish, the pair will lead their Troubadour teammates on Monday at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters event. With a top-three finish, they will advance to the CIF Northern California regionals, a goal they accomplished as sophomores but fell short of last year.
"We would love to go to NorCals this year," said Alcoran. "We very close last year (three strokes) to going to NorCals. Ideally we would like to do that and finish it off."
They have a strong team around them including juniors Nashla Aguero and Ceci Fletcher and sophomores Haanya Niazi and Madelene Lee.
"Golf has meant so much to us," said Alcoran.
With the longtime "sister" friends leading the way, the Troubies will have a great chance of continuing their season and adding another chapter to their story. It would only be fitting for them to have a fairytale ending.
Teams tee off with a shotgun start on Monday at The Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton at 9 a.m.
