Commerce’s Clout Extends to Whittier

The sphere of influence created by Commerce Aquatics continues to widen. The latest beneficiary is the Whittier girls’ water polo team, which added freshman Lauren Barron and sophomore Mary Ann Campos in the off-season.

Together, they’ve teamed with another longtime Commerce player, sophomore Alyssa Rangel, to turn the Cardinals into a favorite to win the Southern Section Division III title next month.

Whittier was unranked in the division until this week, when it made its debut at No. 3. That standing should improve after the visiting Cardinals defeated top-ranked Pico Rivera El Rancho, 7-5, in a Del Rio League game Wednesday.

Campos, Barron and Rangel combined for six goals and helped shut out the Dons in the first half. All three began playing water polo at an early age at Commerce, which has sponsored age-group swimming and water polo teams for city residents since it opened in 1960.

Whittier Coach Chris Schneider said the most important assets they’ve brought are intelligence and big-game experience.

“It’s amazing the caliber of water polo they bring and what it has done to the girls around them,” Schneider said.

Commerce was originally the main feeder program for the Bell Gardens program. When girls’ water polo was sanctioned for the 1999 season, Bell Gardens won its first 85 games and four straight Division III titles. But players began filtering to Montebello beginning in 2001, following Commerce Coach Sergio Macias, who was hired at the school.

Now in Division I, Montebello has advanced to the quarterfinals each of the last two seasons.

Rangel moved into the Whittier area before her freshman year and decided to give the school a try. She helped the Cardinals advance to the Division III semifinals last season, where they lost to eventual champion Temple City, 9-8, in sudden death. Rangel said she enjoyed the experience and sold Barron and Campos on the school.

“I think the whole environment is different,” Rangel said. “Everyone is nice to one another.”