Karlee Krchnavi knows some things about how to win, and how to win at Palisades.
Krchnavi is the Pirates’ all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She was a three-year starter at Division I Binghamton, taking home an America East Player of the Week award as a senior.
Now in her second year at the helm of her alma mater, Krchnavi is helping to steer the Pirates’ ship in a new and winning course. After a 3-19 season – in which it went winless in the Colonial League – that followed a 2-19 campaign, Palisades (3-5, 3-4 Colonial) already has three league wins. And the season is not even halfway over.
A big reason “is seeing them jell together and work together as a team,” Krchnavi explained. “We have some scorers who top the books every game but you can see them wanting to share the ball with one other. Not one person is looking to steal the show.
“They know the ropes, my staff and my expectations,” Krchnavi continued. “That is always a bit of an adjustment. Last year, it was a lot of implementing. This year, they know what we teach and preach.”
Class 3A Palisades opened with a 30-23 win over 4A Wilson Area, and followed it up with a satisfying 30-16 defeat of Moravian. While the Pirates played Wilson close last year, Moravian handed Palisades two mercy rule losses in 2022-23.
The 42-24 win over 4A and rival Saucon Valley five days before Christmas was also meaningful.
“Saucon was a good confidence boost,” Krchnavi shared. “They are a rival of ours. And Saucon brought it back to within one point. But our girls held on and pulled through with the win. We’re getting better in pressure situations. Last year, there were a lot of games that were close but we got riled up and couldn’t pull out those wins.”
As a player, Krchnavi led the Pirates to the 2016 Colonial League championship game, ending a 27-year drought between Palisades’ visits. She and the staff preach several points of emphasis to try and rebuild that winning culture.
“The top one is positive energy and family. We say ‘Family’ at the end of every practice and game. At the end of the day, we will never have a winning culture unless we have a sense of family and community,” Krchnavi said. It is a culture where players “own up to your mistakes. Tell your teammate ‘I’ll get the next one,’ hold each other accountable and push each other to get better.
“I constantly emphasize overcommunicating and talking,” she continued. “On offense, it is letting your teammate know you want the ball or are cutting. On defense, I feel talking keeps you engaged.
“I’ll bring it home with the third point of giving it your all 24/7,” she added. “That goes beyond the court as well by resting your body and doing your homework. In practice, if we are just going through the motions, how are we going to get better?”
Palisades is led by six seniors and while all six can lead, Bri Hunter, Cora Anderson and Chesney Mosher are captains. The athletic Anderson is also a tennis standout.
“Those six seniors have played with each other for years. They are seeing that they can get the job done,” Krchnavi noticed. “I think that build in confidence is different from last year to this year. That is huge.”
Two important freshman – Ella Young and Mackenzie Leonhardt – round out the rotation. Young earned Palisades’ Athlete of the Week honor on Dec. 19 and was the team’s leading scorer through the Pirates’ first five games.
Palisades hosts Northern Lehigh this Thursday.
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