<<< VOTING CLOSED TUESDAY, APRIL 2 2013 >>>

For the last two weeks we presented you with a compelling question: what is the best sandwich in the South Sound? And you have responded in droves. Sick days have been used. Friendships have fallen apart. Meat slicers and cashiers  seeking comfort in new relationships - mass hysteria!

The competition has been whittled down to the Sliced 16. Yes, 16 South Sound sandwiches are poised to make the final push to the Final Four, which will be held Friday.

So, read up on yesterday's action, and then vote on the first four games of the Sliced 16. It's in your hands, mouth, and stomach, folks. Do us proud.

Yesterday's Results

Game 1: Beast of Burden (Top of Tacoma Bar and Cafe, 3529 McKinley Ave. E., Tacoma) vs. Club (5th Avenue Sandwich Shop, 117 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia)

In perhaps the most hotly contested match of the tournament, scrappy gritty Top of Tacoma Bar and Olympia's 5th Avenue Sandwich Shop fought fiercely all day. Top of Tacoma led off strong with piles and piles of Angus roast beef and booze. 5th Avenue came to the table with its massive portions. As good as Top of Tacoma's Beast of Burden is, it's hard to compete with a specialty sandwich shop in a sandwich tournament, especially one that makes awesome sandwiches. 5th Avenue Sandwich Shop grabbed 53 percent of the votes yesterday and faces Eleven Eleven's Reuben tomorrow.

Game 2: Cuban Fish Sandwich (Asado, 2810 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. Philly Cheesesteak Tempeh (Le Voyeur, 404 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia)

Asado started the game with a psychological ploy, as co-owner John Xitco cranked the Latin music, while dropping the Cuban Fish Sandwich back to set up its zone defense. A strong move that paid off. Le Voyeur, even with its Philly Cheesesteak Tempeh having a good day, couldn't keep up with Asado. The Sixth Avenue Argentinean restaurant ended up with 61 percent of the votes, and a seat in the Sliced 16.

Game 3: Farmhouse Philly (Dirty Oscar's Annex, 2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. The Chief (Sparks Firehouse Deli, 621 Fifth St., Puyallup)

Who put the fire out? Dirty Oscar's and its Farmhouse Philly did. Dirty Oscars, while not a sandwich-serving joint, does make an awesome Philly. That said, what might be Dirty Oscar's biggest advantage is experience. The Sixth Avenue restaurant made it to the championship game last year in the Tournament of Breakfast. It knows how to rally the troops, and when to back off the moonshine at the right moment. With 56 percent of the votes, the Farmhouse Philly moves into the Sliced 16 to face STINK's Stinker tomorrow.

Game 4: Banh Mi (Pho King, 1020 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma) vs. Hot Italian Sub (Meconi's Pub, 709 Pacific Ave., Tacoma)

Neither Pho King nor Meconi's Pub came out for post game interviews. Both restaurants left it on the court yesterday. The "Bread Guy" from BOTH restaurants collapsed after the final buzzer sounded. One vote. One vote is what Meconi's Pub beat Pho King by on the scoreboard. How in the hell will Meconi's fire up its Hot Italian Sub for its game tomorrow with Vuelve a la Vida's Steak Torta. Meconi's will need to summon every spirit residing in its downtown Tacoma historical building. It will need every bit of its happy hour too.

Stick a toothpick in them! The following are advancing to the next round:

• 5th Avenue Sandwich Shop's Club
• Asado's Cuban Fish Sandwich
• Dirty Oscar's Farmhouse Philly
• Meconi's Pub's Hot Italian Sub

>>> The daily sandwich battles here on Spew are sponsored by Subway in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

OK, let's check out today's Sliced 16 sandwich battles. Vote for one sandwich joint per battle. Voting for today's sandwich battles ends at 11:45 p.m.