TEMECULA – The year was 2019 and Linfield Christian’s girls basketball team had just won a CIF-SS title during the month of February. Shortly after the season ended, head coach Derrick O’Neil resigned and the school elevated assistant coach Harmony Pyper to the position.
Pyper guided the Lions to three winning seasons in four years with a CIF-SS quarterfinal appearance in 2021 during a season moved to spring because of COVID-19 related issues. The Lions also won this season’s Ambassador League sportsmanship award.
However, late Thursday night, April 27, in an Instagram post, Pyper announced that she was resigning as Linfield Christian’s head coach.
She leaves with an overall record of 44-44 but was just 19-31 in Ambassador League play. In addition, three former players are currently playing at the college level in Sydney Moran (Biola), Skylar Little (Mt. SAC) and Devyn Cope (Whitworth). Kendall Schmottlach, a graduating senior this year, is also signed to play for NAIA school Ottawa University in Arizona.
Derryl Trujillo can be reached at socaltrekkie@gmail.com.
