Sometimes, speed and quickness are no match for size and brute strength. McCaskey's basketball team learned that during a crash course that ended in a season-opening loss Saturday in Lancaster.

Harrisburg High pulled 24 offensive rebounds, resulting in more than two dozen second-chance points, while overpowering the Red Tornado, 80-58, in front of a sizable crowd from both schools.

Harrisburg, starting four players above 6-foot-2, outrebounded guard-heavy McCaskey nearly 2-to-1 in the opener for both teams.

McCaskey's star guard Leontae Turner summed it up well as he stepped out of the locker room.

"They killed us on the glass," said Turner, who scored a game-high 24 points. "They just kept wearing us out."

The Tornado tried to counter Harrisburg's size with fast-breaks and run-outs, but their opponent appeared to be just as quick.

Harrisburg led a blizzard-paced first half, 37-31, before opening their lead to 14 early in the fourth quarter. The Tornado couldn't get closer than nine the rest of the way.

Turner blamed that on "fatigue and not enough boxing out."

His coach, Steve Powell, said, "They physically dominated the inside. We just didn't have anything to own up to it. They overpowered us."

The Cougars also had a huge advantage on experience. Four of their starters are seniors, while McCaskey started two freshmen and a sophomore.

Turner is the only starter who has played a full season, according to Powell.

Do-it-all senior Charles Arp paced the Cougars with 16 points. A 6-foot-3 swingman, Arp seemed to be around every loose ball, pulled down rebounds in traffic and made crisp passes. He played at McCaskey as a freshman.

Arp had eight in the first quarter, which was the difference between the teams after eight minutes. Turner came alive in the second quarter, scoring eight to cut the halftime deficit to 37-31.

They hung tough in the third, before Harrisburg broke out for 25 in the final quarter, including 11 from the foul line.

Turner's trey from the left wing trimmed the lead to 61-52 with 5:20 left. Harrisburg answered with a 3-point conversion from Jalen Fitzpatrick and a steal and layup by Michael Warren. The Cougars never looked back after that.

Cougars coach Kirk Smallwood said McCaskey, who essentially started four guards, could be a formidable team by season's end.

"I'm glad we played them now," he admitted afterwards. "They are a little young."

Freshman Diante Cherry, a lightning-quick ball-handling guard, appears to have the makings of a future floor general. Aaron Swinton, a guard who jumps out of the gym, showed promise in his first varsity minutes.

Experience, and a scoring sidekick for Turner, could make a world of difference.

With perennial powerhouse Chester on deck (8 p.m. Tuesday at McCaskey), Powell says his team will take early lumps in their quest to getting better.

"We tell them they are going to get their heads handed to them," he said. "You're either going to learn from it and find out if you want to be ballplayers, or just go through the motions."