By Lisa Gayle Grayson

By Lisa Gayle Grayson

The Post sports writer

North Royalton's volleyball team made it difficult Tuesday evening for future opponents to scout the Bears in the Northeast Division I Sectional match at Strongsville.

The No. 3 seed defeated Rhodes 25-4, 25-2, 25-9 by utilizing a lineup mixed with veterans and underclassmen.

"It helps just to be on the floor with some of the varsity players and seniors," North Royalton head coach Kristin

Hubbell said. "It's getting them experience, just in case next week something happens and someone needs to step up, it's nice to get

them in a few games."

North Royalton (14-9) also received plenty of serving practice against the Rams. Senior Brittany Centorbi served for

14 of the Bears' points in the opening game, freshman Rachel Latosky served for all but two in the second game and sophomore Rachel

Berton served for 11 in Game 3.

The win advanced North Royalton to the sectional final Thursday. It will play Normandy at 6 p.m. in the opening match. Strongsville, the top seed, will play Valley Forge immediately following in the other sectional championship.

The Bears and Normandy faced off earlier in the regular season. North Royalton won the Northeast Ohio Conference cross-divisional contest 25-11, 25-11, 25-17.

"We need to be aware of both their middles (Andrea Kovachic and Karla Peters)," Hubbell said. "They seem to go to them a lot. I think against Lakewood they looked decent. They play good defense, they're scrappy and they pick up a lot of balls."

The winner of both sectional finals will advance to the district semifinal at Strongsville next Tuesday at 6 p.m.

"I give Rhodes credit," Hubbell said. "They came out and those girls went after balls. They didn't duck out of the way of anything."