TUESDAY, APRIL 5: WE HAVE A WINNER >>>

After three weeks of voting the Weekly Volcano readers have picked the most popular pizza joint in the South Sound.

The Tournament of Pizza Championship match pitted longtime Tacoma favorite Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant against the Westside Olympia powerhouse Apollo's Pizza & Pasta.

Yesterday's championship battle saw the most online voting before dinnertime (5 p.m.) of the tournament. Katie Downs had a commanding lead by time the voting switched to the live ballot voting at 6 p.m. during the Tournament of Pizza Party Inside The Schooner Pub in Lakewood. At the party, folks filled out pizza voting/raffle ballots when they weren't pounding beers and screaming at the televisions. The pizza voting couldn't help but supercede the ugly NCAA Men's Championship hoop game in which UConn held the Butler Bulldogs to a title-game record-low 18.8 percent shooting.

But, as promised, we tallied the on-location votes during halftime of the hoop game, which ended up dead even.

Representation from Apollo's Pizza & Pasta and Katie Downs were in the house. Apollo's arrived early with a stack of piping hot pizzas. The Olympia pizza joint passed out free slices to the crowd, showing their hospitality and their skill at pizza pie perfection. The Katie Downs crew arrived halfway through the first half of the basketball game - also sporting pizzas. The crowd didn't leave hungry. The free pizzas were a surprise to all. The Weekly Volcano would like to extend a special thanks to The Schooner Pub for being cool with the pizzas.

At halftime of the basketball game, Pappi Swarner jumped behind the bar, grabbed the house PA, and gave away 10 or so raffle prizes, most to the lucky former Clover Park High School coaching staff contingent in the house.

The Weekly Volcano staff quickly downed their drinks and tallied the ballots. After combining the ballots with its 79 percent vote lead accumulated online, the winner of the 2011 Tournament of Pizza was announced:

Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant.

Both South Sound pizza joints will be receiving Tournament of Pizza trophies after completion of the engraving. Also, look for an upcoming feature on Katie Downs in the Weekly Volcano.

Katie Downs congratulates Apollo's Pizza & Pasta for a good battle.

Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant staff

So it's official: Katie Downs is the winner of Weekly Volcano's 2011 Tournament of Pizza. Eat it up, South Sound.

Thank you!

We would like to extend a special THANKS! to al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine for sponsoring the Tournament of Pizza. When you are in downtown Olympia, stop by al Forno Ferruzza for a slice or two.

Also a big thanks to The Schooner Pub in Lakewood for hosting our Tournament of Pizza Finals party last night. Good times.

But most of all, thanks to all the awesome folks who voted. You rock.

MONDAY, APRIL 4: THIS IS FOR ALL THE PEPPERONI >>>

The titanic pizza throwdown finale in on! Voting for the 2011 Weekly Volcano Tournament of Pizza Readers' Poll Championship game is live right now.

After three weeks of voting, you have picked the most popular pizza joints in the South Sound area. What began as 64 slice-slinging joints has been narrowed down to two: Katie Downs and Apollo's Pizza & Pasta.

Who do you think has the best pizza?

Today's Championship Competition

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

Vote for only one pizza joint, then scroll to the bottom and click "Done." Only one vote per person. Any duplicate or Spam responses will be disqualified.

Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant vs. Apollo's Pizza & Pasta

Only 16,280 pizzas end-to-end separate Katie Downs on Tacoma's Ruston Way  from Apollo's Pizza & Pasta in West Olympia. This is Tacoma vs. Olympia people. This is for pizza bragging rights for the entire South Sound.

Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant serves 6-inch and 12-inch deep-dish pizzas loaded, and we mean loaded with cheese. They offer eight theme pizzas, which they call "classic combinations." You can also create your own pizza. Each pizza is hand rolled and baked for 20 to 25 minutes. It's a 21 and older joint with a full bar. It's named after original co-owner Mike Ebert's grandmother. They accept pizza to go orders, but we can't fathom why you'd ever leave their view

The sleek Apollo's Pizza & Pasta just released a new menu last week. Besides being able to create your own thin-crust pizzas (small, medium and large) with pillowy edges, they offer specialty pies, too. New additions to the menu include Phoebe's Phave - a comforting mouthful of thick crust with mac 'n' cheese and pepperoni toppings - and the Arika - a cheesy creation with spinach, onion, cashews and ricotta cheese. They also serve a 7-inch pita pizza. Apollo's sports a side bar titled "Heaven" with a large screen television and low-priced cocktails.

SATURDAY, APRIL 2: IT'S DOWN TO TWO >>>

Over the past three weeks, the Weekly Volcano challenged 64 of the South Sound's best pizza joints to go slice-to-slice in a showdown of culinary combat. Some fell easily by the wayside, either due to inferior skills or simply because they faced a superior opponent. Slice by slice, we ate our way down to yesterday's Final Four: Apollo's Pizza, The Fan Club, Katie Downs and Rollies Tavern. It was do-or-die, win-or-fly, bring-your-best-pizza-pie. After the last pie emerged from the oven, nearly 7,000 people voted. There's a rumor that regional government officials might change our "South Sound" to "South Round."

Yesterday's Results

Apollo's Pizza & Pasta vs. The Fan Club Sports Bar

Apparently, it's all in the cheese. Yesterday, we added a comment section in the voting process and cheese dominated the answers in regards to why people love Apollo's Pizza & Pasta. While crust was the word in favor of The Fan Club, cheese popped up over and over as 65 percent of the voters clicked on Apollo's Pizza & Pasta sending the Olympia pizza joint into Monday's Championship game. Congratulations to The Fan Club, a 15th seed (!), for an impressive run.

Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant vs. Rollies Tavern

Katie Downs received a number one seed by our readers through preliminary voting in February. And the Tacoma waterfront restaurant proved worthy of the title, knocking out Alfred's Café, Engine House No. 9, Puget Sound Pizza and Upper Crust Bistro & Bakery to grab a Final Four slot. Rollies, the popular hangout at the end of McChord Air Field, secured a number two seed in the East Region, and putting the hurt on The Right Spot, Vince's, Aversano's, and Trackside Pizza, before facing Katie Downs in the Final Four. The Weekly Volcano Steno Pool called it the game of the tournament, which is hard to argue with a one and two seed battling it out. When the last pizza pie hit the table, and a lead it never gave up the entire day, Katie Downs grabbed 66.5 percent of the votes.

Monday's Championship Game

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

Here we go. Apollo's Pizza & Pasta out of the South Region will face Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant, the top pie out of the Greater Downtown Tacoma Region, Monday, April 4 when the polls open around 9 a.m. Online voting runs until 5 p.m. At 6 p.m. the voting opens back up live at the Tournament of Pizza Final Party at The Schooner, 5429 100th St. SW in Lakewood. Ballots will be handed out, which will also serve as raffle tickets. The live vote will close at halftime of the NCAA Men's Tournament final and the South Sound Pizza champion will be announced.

So, pack the car and eat at Katie Downs one night and Apollo's Pizza & Pasta the other night. Compare notes with your neighbors. Then come Monday, vote here on Spew then join us at the Schooner.

Thanks again everyone for voting.

LINK: What's up with this pizza tournament?

LINK: Oh hell yes I want the Weekly Volcano newsletter!

FRIDAY, APRIL 1: FINAL FOUR >>>

And then there were four ...

Believe it or not, fine readers, there have been days during the Tournament of Pizza when, by noon or so, it was already obvious which pizza joints would be moving on and which would be going home. There were blowouts ...oh were there ever. Sometimes, it made our job a little easier; we could work on the next day's copy at a decent hour of the evening without fear the game would suddenly turn.

Oh, but yesterday was different. Yesterday, the votes just kept coming - from tipoff to the final buzzer. And each of the four contests stayed close. First we topped a thousand votes - dead heats. Then two - still neck and neck. Then three - are you kidding?

By the time we got to four thousand votes you'd think a pattern would have developed - obvious favorites would have emerged. But it was not to be. Our Weekly Volcano Tournament of Pizza vote counters were up late last night tallying the results - which weren't settled for good until the very end.

Yesterday played out just like you'd expect the Tournament of Pizza "Baked Eight" to. Here's a look at the results and today's highly anticipated Final Four matchups.

Yesterday's Results

Apollo's Pizza & Pasta vs. Casa Mia Italian Restaurant

After mounting quite a tear through the Tournament of Pizza, a tear that - quite honestly - many weren't prepared for (apparently taking the award-winning history for granted) Casa Mia's run came to a halt when it faced Apollo's Pizza & Pasta yesterday, the newly crowned champion of the Tournament of Pizza South Region. Apollo's moves on to the Tournament of Pizza Final Four, taking the pride that comes along with making it further than any other Olympia or Lacey pizza establishment with it.

Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant vs. Upper Crust Bistro & Bakery

Katie Downs has made a lot of friends in its nearly 30 year history on the Ruston Waterfront. And its pizza has pleased many a belly. Yesterday, the Tacoma destination for stiff drinks and massive pies needed all of those friends and pleased bellies to take down Upper Crust, one of the Tournament of Pizza's more surprising stories. Who would have thought the Northend Tacoma spot known for high brow pies and, at least on our visit last week, $5 glasses of red wine to prime the voters would have advanced all the way to the Baked Eight? That's exactly what happened, but yesterday's Katie Downs gained the upper hand after an intense battle - moving onto the Final Four to face Rollies.

Rollies Tavern vs. Trackside Pizza

When first discussing the Tournament of Pizza, in editorial meetings that seem like they were many moons ago, Rollies Tavern was mentioned almost immediately. It's got a following, and everyone knows it. Rollies pizza quickly comes to the lips of many when discussing the best South Sound pizzas. The bar frequented by military types and pie-lovers alike has fared well so far in the Tournament of Pizza, and yesterday - despite being locked in one hell of a close game all day long - Rollies again prevailed, taking down the much loved Puyallup institution that is Trackside. Neither competitor has anything to be ashamed of as they both mounted impressive runs. That said, Rollies moves on to the Final Four, while Trackside begrudgingly goes home.

Delbrocco's Pizza, Steak and Hoagie vs. The Fan Club Sports Bar

If there's one pizza joint that can play the "us against the world," "we don't get the respect we deserve," card - it's undoubtedly Delbrocco's Pizza, Steak and Hoagies. The Philly-style, T-Town pizza spot has killed it so far in the Tournament of Pizza, to the surprise of many.

That said, most prognosticators still assumed Delbrocco's would go down when facing might Fan Club of Lakewood. Surely, the Fan Club would have too much fire power for Delbrocco's, right?

Well, yes, but it took every minute of voting, and every ounce of possible effort on the part of the Fan Club to get the job done. In what was easily one of the closest, most exciting contests to track of the entire tournament - even considering "tracking" the game basically meant watching votes come in - the Fan Club eventually emerged victorious, scraping out 51 percent of the vote on a day when more than 4,600 chimed in.

Today's Competition

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

OK, time to move on to today's pizza battles. Vote for one pizza joint per battle, then scroll to the bottom and click "Done." Only one vote per person. Any duplicate or Spam responses will be disqualified.

THURSDAY, MARCH 31: BAKED EIGHT >>>

For the last two weeks we presented you with a compelling question: Who makes the best pizza in the South Sound?

Well, we're closer than we've ever been to finding out - at least based on the voice of you, the readers and voters.

Today is a very special day in the Volcano's Tournament of Pizza - the Baked Eight. Yes, only eight out of an original 64 area pizza joints remain, each doing battle today to stay alive and fight on toward ultimate Tournament of Pizza glory.

If we were you we'd just call in sick, grab some Rolaids and watch it all unfold.

Short of that, a good place to start would be by voting below.

Yesterday's Results

Aversano's vs. Rollies Tavern

Despite a late push from Sumner's heralded Aversano's, Rollies and its large, devoted, strongly Air Force following proved too powerful in yesterday's action, catapulting into the Baked Eight with a resounding victory. Rollies is known for toppings, toppings some might say cover more than 63 percent of the delicious pizzas. Strangely, that's exactly the percentage of the vote Rollies received yesterday. Weird. Today Rollies will face Trackside.

Louie G's Pizza vs. Trackside Pizza

As you may have gathered since Trackside will be competing against Rollies today, Puyallup's favorite pizza joint (at least based on Tournament of Pizza results) was able to fend off Louie G's of Fife yesterday and play its way into Baked Eight. After an impressive run, Louie G's - even with the newfound support of the all-ages music scene - couldn't climb the mountain that was Trackside - which scored roughly 70 percent of the vote in victory.

Katie Downs Waterfront Pizza vs. Puget Sound Pizza

We feel bad for the kids on this one ... especially the kids in tight pants. But something tells us they'll survive, and they'll do so in tasty style with the Puget Sound Pizza they (and much of the area, it seems) has come to love. Unfortunately for Puget Sound Pizza, the task yesterday of taking down Katie Downs was simply too much - and the votes told the story. When all was said and done, Katie Downs moved on with nearly 89 percent of the votes in the day's most active contest.

The Rock Brick Oven Pizza vs. Upper Crust Bistro & Bakery

The way Upper Crust has managed to bring it during this year's Tournament of Pizza has been nothing short of amazing. Yesterday, many already had established competitor The Rock penciled in as a winner. Those people, however, where foolish - as Upper Crust once again proved its pizza prowess. The votes don't lie, and when the final buzzer sounded Upper Crust had racked up roughly 80 percent of the vote and comfortably moved into Baked Eight competition.

The following four pizza joints will advance to the Baked Eight:

• Rollies Tavern
  
• Trackside Pizza
  
• Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant
  
• Upper Crust Bistro & Bakery
  

Today's Competition

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

OK, time to move on to today's pizza battles. Vote for one pizza joint per battle, then scroll to the bottom and click "Done."

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30: STUFFED 16 GAMES >>>

You know how yesterday we said you, much-appreciated readers, had responded in droves to our Tournament of Pizza so far this year.

Well, we lied. We hadn't seen anything yet.

Yesterday was droves, people, perhaps more. Yesterday was just plain freakin' nuts.

An astounding 2507 of you took a minute out of your schedules to participate in yesterday's Tournament of Pizza action - shattering all previous records (which is something we had the pleasure of saying a lot this year).

It was awesome. When it comes to pizza, it's obvious you really care.

Maybe too much ...

On to today's Tournament of Pizza action and yesterday's results.

Yesterday's Results

Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante vs. Delbrocco's Pizza, Steak & Hoagies

R-E-S-P-E-C-T is how the song goes, and that's just what unheralded Delbrocco's has been earning so far in the Tournament of Pizza, knocking off Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante yesterday and garnering - get this! - 73 percent of the vote. This is all the more impressive when you consider Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante took out Cloverleaf Pizza just a round earlier, meaning - by the power of Tournament of Pizza deduction - Delbrocco's, and its Philly style pizza action - can claim superiority over both. What's the world coming to? Find out when Delbrocco's moves on to face the currently enfuego Fan Club of Lakewood.

Fondi Pizzeria vs. The Fan Club Sports Bar

Honestly, poor Fondi Pizzeria never had a chance in this one. In a day of voting that shattered all previous Tournament of Pizza records, The Fan Club was likely the catalyst - bringing in (no shit) more than 1,700 votes. Take a moment to digest that performance. If it's a sign of things to come, The Fan Club - which amazingly entered the tournament as a 15 seed - has to be the odds on favorite to win it all. Now, digest that. Crazy, man. Just crazy. Their taco pizza may have something to do with it. But the ability to round up 1,700 votes in a single day probably has more.

Apollo Pizza & Pasta vs. Infernos Brick Oven Pizza

In a day of blowouts, Apollo of Olympia only continued the trend, knocking out Tumwater's Inferno's Brick Oven Pizza, a venue that defied the expectations of many just by reaching this point (if only for lack of Tumwater knowledge). In a packed South Region that originally held heavyweights like Oldschool, Vic's and even Smitty's, Apollo - originally a nine seed - now finds itself one win away from the Final Four. Next up for Apollo ...

Ricardo's Restaurant vs. Casa Mia Italian Restaurant

To be blunt, Ricardo's did far more damage in the Tournament of Pizza than anyone here at Weekly Volcano World Headquarters anticipated. We know the Lacey destination more for its steaks than pies. Taking out Smitty's in the first round, and later Farrelli's of DuPont in the second, was impressive to say the least. However, those good times came to an abrupt halt yesterday when Casa Mia once again flexed its muscles, perhaps emerging as the odds on favorite to make the Final Four out of the South Region. Snagging 76 percent of the vote, it was another dominant performance for Casa Mia, a local favorite that seems to be getting stronger with every victory.

The following four pizza joints will advance to the Baked Eight:

• Delbrocco's Pizza, Steak & Hoagies
  
• The Fan Club Sports Bar
  
• Apollo Pizza & Pasta
  
• Casa Mia Italian Restaurant
  

Today's Competition

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

OK, time to move on to today's pizza battles. Vote for one pizza joint per battle, then scroll to the bottom and click "Done."

TUESDAY, MARCH 29: STUFFED 16 BEGINS >>>

For the last two weeks we presented you with a compelling question: Who makes the best pizza in the South Sound? And you have responded in droves. Sick days have been used. Friendships have fallen apart. Pizza delivery boys and girls living together - mass hysteria!

The competition has been whittled down to the Stuffed 16. Yes, 16 South Sound pizza joints are poised to make the final push to the Final Four, which will begin Friday.

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

Yesterday's Results

Aversano's Italian Restaurant vs. Powerhouse Restaurant & Brewery

These two East Pierce County restaurants traded pepperoni shots all day until around 4 p.m. when Aversano's began to pull away. Rumor has it Aversano's got behind its Greek pizza with its white and marinara sauces and heavy dose of feta and pushed through the Powerhouse' electric wall. As the clock hit 11:45 p.m., Averano's had 54 percent of the votes, and a spot in the Stuffed 16.

Vince's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria vs. Rollies Tavern

Rollies grabbed the lead early in this game and never looked back, nabbing 58 percent of the votes when all was said and done. Some believe recent airings of The Right Stuff on the boob tube could have swung the vote in Rollies favor, due to its proximity to McChord Air Field, being that Chuck Yeager was a bad ass and all. Anyway, Rollies moves onto the Stuffed 16 to take on Aversano's tomorrow.

Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant vs. Engine House No. 9

Katie Downs and Engine House No. 9 have been battling it out ever since Katie Downs came on the scene in 1982. The Engine House wished it could be a waterfront restaurant where patrons daydream about owning that sailboat drifting past the wall of windows. Kate Downs wished it could have the Engine House's beer club and awesome popcorn. Both are successful businesses, but yesterday Katie Downs brought it - and brought it big – capturing a whopping 89 percent of the votes. Its deep-dish pizza - with massive amounts of cheese that a few twists of the fork produces a cheese lollipop - moves into the Stuffed 16.

Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza vs. Puget Sound Pizza

"It's not New York or Chicago ... It's Puget Sound Pizza!" That's the slogan over at Puget Sound Pizza, the tiny joint Jim built into a Tacoma institution, and then the beloved Martin took over. The matrimony of their garlic-butter brushed crust, spirited sauce, the perfect amount of gooey cheese, and our favorite ingredients - pepperoni, olives and peppers - is what brings us back time and time again. Apparently, we're not alone. PSP put a hurt on the popular local chain Farrelli's, grabbing a shocking 84 percent of the votes. PSP will battle number one seed Katie Downs tomorrow in the Stuffed 16 games. Some say this is THE BATTLE of the Tournament.

The Rock Brick Oven Pizza vs. Harmon Tap Room

Yesterday at 5 p.m. The Rock and Harmon Tap Room were dead even. Over at The Rock, folks ate the wood-fired, hand-tossed pizza off tableside serving trays while Alice Cooper teased the crowd about school being out. Over at the Tap Room, people pressed their faces against the window gazing at the brew masters waiting for their Sicilian style pizza and growler to be filled. Then, we posted that the two were tied. Bam! classic rockers started texting and The rock pulled away to finally grab 60 percent of the votes before the polls closed. That's the power of rock 'n' roll folks.

Upper Crust Bistro & Bakery vs. Primo Grill

Holy crap! Turnout for this contest was like the turnout at a dunk-the-banker booth at the Taste of Tacoma! Both pretty pizza makers Upper Crust and Primo did their darndest to mobilize their base, and though Primo Grill ran out to an early lead, Upper Crust fans had an amazing, jaw-dropping late afternoon push that had the stamina to carry through the evening and snatch victory from the fancy Sixth and Pine joint with a 160 more votes. Unbelievable. Upper Crust moves on to the Stuffed 16 to take on The Rock tomorrow.

The following six pizza joints will advance to the Stuffed 16:

• Aversano's
  
• Rollies Tavern
  
• Katie Downs
  
• Puget Sound Pizza
  
• The Rock Wood Fired Pizza
• Upper Crust Bistro & Bakery
  

Today's Competition

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

OK, time to move on to today's pizza battles. Vote for one pizza joint per battle, then scroll to the bottom and click "Done."

MONDAY, MARCH 28: ROUND TWO ENDS TODAY >>>

Laid-back is the essence of Sunday. That means a lazy mid-afternoon pizza, no work, phone off the hook, flip-flops ... you know the routine. The mere thought of lifting a finger to wash the mountain of dishes in the sink should make you shudder. Yesterday, a good chunk of the South Sound changed its Sunday routine. Voting in the Tournament of Pizza was added to the mix. Yesterday's vote total nearly doubled the previous record high for most votes in the day.

But, it's Monday. You're still in chill mode. Your boss' view of what is priority is far from the top of your priority list. And there's six South Sound pizza games to vote on today. Before you vote, take a gander at yesterday's results. Woah.

Yesterday's Results

Terry's Office Tavern  vs. Fondi Pizzeria

They are worlds apart. Beloved Northend Tacoma neighborhood tavern Terry's flirts with being dubbed a dive with a very approachable feel, especially the U-shaped bar that creates for multiple conversations with friends and strangers. Fondi's a lofty, lively space filled with families and shoppers with fast, friendly service - almost autonomous. But Fondi's brick oven and warm earth tones bring warmth to the space, and their awesome gooey, bubbling pizza has the edge according to voters sending the Gig Harbor restaurant into the Stuffed 16 with 67 percent of the votes.

Blue Cannon Pizza vs. The Fan Club Sports Bar

Blue Cannon Pizza stainless steel-ish interior, huge blue cannon and their "Meaty" pizza load (LOADED!) with meat was no match for The Fan Club's campaign to take this game. The Oakbrook neighborhood bar in Lakewood has the fan base, and pizza, to nab 82 percent of the votes, sending them into the Stuffed 16.

Oldschool Pizzeria vs. Apollo's Pizza & Pasta

The location of Oldschool Pizzeria in its downtown Olympia spot can't be beat. Its corner spot sees an almost constant stream of fascinating people alternately stumbling, mumbling, and strutting by the windows at the front of the restaurant. Inside Oldschool, the atmosphere matches the outside as every slice of life, in every state of mind, eats the New York Style pizza below Burt Reynolds and classic NBA posters. Apollo's atmosphere is less eccentric and bit more polished. We don't have any idea if atmosphere played into Apollo's massacre of Oldschool, but its deeper dish pizza grabbed 81 percent of the votes yesterday, eliminating the number one seed Oldschool.

Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor vs. Infernos Brick Oven Pizza

Ah, history. The factor we all owe so much but for the most part choose to ignore. Dirty Dave's is still going strong after nearly 40 years in the biz and its delicious pizza is the reason for its success. But the modern electric hum lies with Infernos - the fairly new kid on the block - and its long list of gourmet pizzas. Infernos grabbed 60 percent of the votes yesterday over Dirty Dave's, and moves into the Stuffed 16.

The following four pizza joints will advance to the next round:

• Fondi Pizzeria
  
• The Fan Club Sports Bar
• Apollo's Pizza and Pasta
• Infernos Brick Oven Pizza

Today's Competition

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

OK, time to move on to today's pizza battles. 

>>> CONTEST CLOSED. FOR RESULTS OF THE BATTLES LISTED BELOW, AND NEW MATCHUPS TO VOTE ON, SEE TUESDAY'S POSTS ON SPEW.

Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante vs. Delbrocco's Pizza, Steak & Hoagies

Joeseppi's serves six thin and sturdy pizzas with crisp, pastry-like crusts, most topped with their homemade tomato sauce, and served in their front deli and back in the dining room. Delbrocco's is a eat-in or take-out East Coast joint serving hand-tossed Philly style pizza pies from a storefront on the corner of Sixth and Proctor. Can the famous Joe Stortini fronted Italian restaurant beat the Rocky Balboa of Tacoma pizza joints? Which taco deserves to move up to the Baked Eight?

• Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante (2207 N. Pearl St., Tacoma)
• Debrocco's Pizza, Steak & Hoagies (3908 Sixth Ave., Tacoma)

Fondi Pizzeria vs. The Fan Club Sports Bar

Both of these places have rabid fans and die-hard supporters, as well as popular pizzas, therefore this pizza battle may be the most hotly contested of the day. Upscale-ish Fondi proved it can eliminate a beloved Tacoma neighborhood joint when it took out Terry's Office Tavern over the weekend. Can it do the same with an equally beloved neighborhood joint in Lakewood? Mobilize your base, Fondi and Fan Club, and get out the vote!

• Fondi Pizzeria (4621 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor)
• The Fan Club (8315 83rd Ave. SW, Lakewood)

Apollo Pizza & Pasta vs. Infernos Brick Oven Pizza

You can't overlook the fact Apollo creamed Oldschool Pizzeria in the Second Round - a pizza readers gave top honors in our Best of Olympia issue. You also can't overlook Apollo's monstrous beer mugs. Infernos claims it has the "coldest beer in town," which could come into play today (imagine if the coldest beer was in a monstrous mug. Maybe these two Thurston County pizza joints could join forces and open Apollo Infernos House of Beer). But, we digress. This is the Tournament of Pizza, and this battle could get ugly.

• Apollo Pizza & Pasta (2010 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia)
• Infernos Brick Oven Pizza (111 Tumwater Blvd. SE, Olympia)

Ricardo's Restaurant vs. Casa Mia Italian Restaurant

Ricardo's, the Italian restaurant in Lacey that is now open seven days a week, quietly dropped Smitty's Chicago Style and Farrelli's in DuPont. ... Let that sink in for a minute. Could their write-up in Home & Garden have anything to do with beating two strong opponents? Casa Mia couldn't care less. Five newspapers have dubbed it the best restaurant and/or pizza. Pizza Today Magazine wants to marry Casa Mia. Both have earned honors from the Capital Food & Wine Festival. Vote now, or forever hold your peace.

• Ricardo's Restaurant (5211 Lacey Blvd. SE, Lacey)
• Casa Mia Italian Restaurant (716 Plum St., Olympia)

Tomorrow's Pizza Battles: STUFFED 16 BEGINS!

Game 1: Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante (2207 N. Pearl St., Tacoma) vs. Debrocco's Pizza, Steak & Hoagies (3908 Sixth Ave., Tacoma)

Game 2: Fondi Pizzeria (4621 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor) vs. The Fan Club (8315 83rd Ave. SW, Lakewood)

Game 3: Apollo Pizza & Pasta (2010 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia) vs. Infernos Brick Oven Pizza (111 Tumwater Blvd. SE, Olympia)

Game 4: Ricardo's Restaurant (5211 Lacey Blvd. SE, Lacey) vs. Casa Mia Italian Restaurant (716 Plum St., Olympia)

LINK: What's up with this pizza tournament?

LINK: Oh hell yes I want the Weekly Volcano newsletter!

SUNDAY, MARCH 27: ROUND TWO ACTION CONTINUES >>>

Beginning March 29, we’ll cut the field of 64 South Sound pizza joints to the Stuffed 16. March 31, it’ll drop to the Baked Eight. On April 4, we’ll announce the winner of Weekly Volcano's Tournament of Tacos – picked by you, of course – at the Schooner Pub in Lakewood during halftime of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. On that Monday, we'll cut the online voting at 5 p.m. and take the vote live at the Schooner, handing out ballots while you pound beers.

That's all fine and dandy, but it's Sunday and you don't have time for idle chitchat. You need to start whittling away at our 5 Things To Do today. OK, OK, here are yesterday's results and today's pizza matchups. Thanks for voting!

Yesterday's Results

Spud's Pizza Parlor vs. Louie G's Pizza

In NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament history, when a ninth seed team has battled a number one seed, the ninth has emerged victorious less than 10 percent of the time. But this is the Tournament of Pizza, and number nine seed Louie G's in Fife handed number one seed Spud's a defeat the famous Tacoma pizza joint will long remember. The pizza dough tossing, all-ages rocking Louie G's stomped on Spud's with 71 percent of the votes.

Milton Tavern vs. Trackside Pizza

Trackside Pizza has something called a The Dessert Caboose. It's a fancy name for mini-cinnamon rolls, fresh baked chocolate cookies, Ben and Jerry's ice cream and several different ice cream bars. ICE CREAM BARS! Sure, this is not the tournament of Ice Cream Bars, but you can't overlook the power of ice cream on a stick. And Trackside didn't, grabbing 58 percent of the votes over the tavern, thus moving on to the Stuffed 16 and facing Louie G's March 30.

The following four pizza joints will advance to the next round:

• Louie G's Pizza
  
• Trackside Pizza
  

Today's Competition

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

OK, time to move on to today's pizza battles.

>>> CONTEST CLOSED. FOR RESULTS OF THE BATTLES LISTED BELOW, AND NEW MATCHUPS TO VOTE ON, SEE MONDAY'S POSTS ON SPEW.

Terry's Office Tavern  vs. Fondi Pizzeria

You have to hand it to the patrons of Terry's Office Tavern. Week night as they head inside to their beloved Northend watering hole, they are subjected to the hardcore exercise action across the street at Elev8 Fitness. All they want to do is pound some beer while nibbling on Terry's world-famous pizza, possible eat a gizzard or two, and sink into comfort. Instead, they witness folks dressed for summer lunging down the sidewalk (without extending the knee over their toes), busting out some jumping jacks, and pretending their bicycling while lying on their backs. The scene at Fondi Pizzeria is less intimidating. The Italian joint sits in an Gig Harbor upscale shopping center surrounded by money and properly pruned shrubbery. Some would call this the battle for the Narrows Bridge. Others would not.

• Terry's Office Tavern (3410 N. Proctor, Tacoma)
• Fondi Pizzeria (4621 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor)

Blue Cannon Pizza vs. The Fan Club Sports Bar

The Fan Club's fans fight for their tiny slice of heaven. The watering hole on the edge of the Oakbrook community in Lakewood sports a loyal following - fanatic, if you will. Check out this comment on this website left by a Fan Club cheerleader Kolby James:

Looooooove the Taco Pizza at the Fan Club. I had a dream that I ordered the taco pizza with eggs. The next day I went in and ordered the taco pizza with eggs for breakfast. HOLY COW!!!!! AWESOME!!! I have ordered it about every other week since. A way to get your vegetables at breakfast!! LOVE IT!!! If you ever get a chance, order the taco pizza at the Fan Club in Lakewood, WA.

If we were the Blue Cannon Pizza in Gig Harbor, we'd be scared to death.

• Blue Cannon Pizza (4726 Borgen Blvd. NW, Gig Harbor)
• The Fan Club Sports Bar (8315 83rd Ave. SW, Lakewood)

Oldschool Pizzeria vs. Apollo's Pizza & Pasta

Apollo Pizza & Pasta took down the mighty Brewery City Pizza in First Round action. This can't be overlooked people. Brewery City Pizza spans Thurston County with its bitchin' delivery system. Now Apollo looks Oldschool Pizzeria square in its competitor's New York style pizza face. Apollo's thick and cheesy pies have the goods to win. And it sports a neon sign that reads "Heaven" at its place of business in Olympia. However, Oldschool is so cool it doesn't have a Facebook page, and calls its Hawaiian pie "Do Ho."

• Oldschool Pizzeria (108 Franklin St. NE, Olympia)
• Apollo's Pizza & Pasta (2302 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia)

Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor vs. Infernos Brick Oven Pizza

Number 13 seed Infernos sent popular, fancy fourth seed Mercato packing in First Round action. The Weekly Volcano Steno Pool turned oddsmakers are still puzzled over that one (it might have something to do with their regular shopping excursions to neighboring Olympia Farmers Market). Anyway, Infernos has the backing, and the pizza, to take on Dirty Dave's and its nearly 40 years of awesomeness. It might be time for Dave's to push their 3-D pizza hard. Oh yes, a pan pizza that takes 25 minutes to bake. Someone's going to get hurt.

• Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor (3939 Martin Way E., Olympia)
• Infernos Brick Oven Pizza (111 Tumwater Blvd. SE, Olympia)

Tomorrow's Pizza Battles: Round Two action

Game 1: Aversano's (6015 Parker Road E., Sumner) vs. Powerhouse Restaurant & Brewery (454 E. Main, Puyallup)

Game 2: Vince's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria (32411 Pacific Highway South, Federal Way) vs. Rollies Tavern (2404 112th St. S., Tacoma)

Game 3: Katie Downs Waterfront Restaurant (3211 Ruston Way, Tacoma) vs. Engine House No. 9 (611 N. Pine St., Tacoma)

Game 4: Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza (3518 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. Puget Sound Pizza (317 S. Seventh St., Tacoma)

Game 5: Rock Brick Oven Pizza (1920 S. Jefferson Ave., Tacoma) vs. Harmon Tap Room (204 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma)

Game 6: Upper Crust Bistro & Bakery (2714 N. 21st St., Tacoma) vs. Primo Grill (601 S. Pine St., Tacoma)

LINK: What's up with this pizza tournament?

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SATURDAY, MARCH 26: ROUND TWO ACTION CONTINUES >>>

Pizza construction isn't rocket science. Take some dough, spread some sauce, throw on a few toppings, serve and enjoy. But hidden within those folds is a complexity that defies the short ingredients list. Making a pizza is child's play; making a great pizza is another thing entirely. Opening a discussion on which South Sound pizza joints offer a great pizza serves as our mission for the Tournament of Pizza - that and trying to score free pizza slices from the competitors.

Before we examine today's pizza battles - only two games due to pre-tournament scheduling conflicts - let's take a look at yesterday's dough-slinging results.

Wow. WOW! Yesterday's voting action saw nearly double the numbers as the previous top voting day, which was March 17.

Yesterday's Results

Cloverleaf Pizza vs. Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante

Back in the '70s, after their Wednesday couples tennis night at the club, parents would head to the Cloverleaf Tavern to discuss their forehands and the craziness that was Tricky Dick. The next morning, their kids would open the refrigerator and steal bites off the Cloverleaf's crispy pizza crust goodness. Today, those kids take their kids to Joeseppi's for their ham and pineapple pizza and a giant slice of that towering chocolate cake. Yup, Joeseppi's smoked the Cloverleaf with 65 percent of the votes, and moves into the Stuffed 16.

Delbrocco's Philly Style Pizza vs. Pizza Casa

We suspect Delbrocco's pushed hard their "Drexel Hill" Jano pie during this matchup. We're talking seven toppings - sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, roasted peppers, black olives and extra cheese - and with free delivery. Pizza Casa, a longtime Italian restaurant so beloved by Lakewood residents that a Christmas morning reservation contemplation wouldn't be considered ridiculous by most of their friends, serves a delicious, square-shaped pizza and has pictures of cocktails on their paper placemats. Delbrocco's plan worked as they grabbed 54 percent of the votes and move on to the Stuffed 16 to battle Joeseppi's March 29.

Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza vs. Ricardo's Ristorante

If you're one of the estimated 3 million Americans who suffer from wheat-gluten allergies, your eating habits might resemble those of Atkins dieters. Farrelli's knows this fact, and offers a "Still Riding Gluten-Free Dough," using separate un-floured pizza peels and keep all gluten-free ingredients gluten-free. The DuPont pizza joint also has honey whole-wheat dough in its arsenal. What Ricardo's has in its arsenal is a cozy setting, local fresh ingredients, the Toni Tony Tone Pizza: Dungeness crab and prawns, bisque, cheese and sautéed spinach ... and a whole bunch of fans. Farrelli's marketing machine was no match for Ricardo's pizzas. The Lacey Italian restaurant secured 64 percent of the votes for the victory.

Casa Mia vs. Vic's Pizzeria

Casa Mia has an atrium. They haven't been really pushing that attribute but we suspect they had to pull it out yesterday to compete with the powerhouse that is Vic's Pizzeria. Enjoy Mia's award-winning vegetarian Pizza Sole, their "pizza of the sun," actually underneath the sun is a smile-producing assembly line. Vic's, which by the way serves a damn tasty hand-tossed New York style pizza, opens at 8 a.m. Monday-Saturday serving baked goods, espresso and boasts free WiFi. These two Olympia pizza joints battled hard all day, trading leads almost every hour. When the polls closed at 11:45 p.m. Casa Mia and its award-winning pies edged out Vic's with 50.4 percent of the votes.

The following four pizza joints will advance to the Stuffed 16:

• Joeseppi's Italain Ristorante
  
• Delbrocco's Philly Style Pizza
• Ricardo's Ristorante
  
• Casa Mia
  

Today's Competition

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

OK, time to move on to today's pizza battles. 

>>> CONTEST CLOSED. FOR RESULTS OF THE BATTLES BELOW AND NEW MATCHUPS TO VOTE ON, SEE SUNDAY'S POSTS ON SPEW.

Spud's Pizza Parlor vs. Louie G's Pizza

Both of these places have rabid fans and die-hard supporters, as well as great pizza, so this pizza-a-pizza matchup may be the most hotly contested of the competition so far. Spud's piles the cheese on high and you can't find a stool at the bar in the back. Louie's G's throws the dough in the air and hosts riff-heavy RAWK Atomic Outlaws for an all-ages show tonight at 8 p.m. Mobilize your base, Spud's and Louie G's, and get out the vote!

• Spud's Pizza Parlor (7025 Pacific Ave., Tacoma)
• Louie G's Pizza (4802 Pacific Hwy. E., Fife)

Milton Tavern vs. Trackside Pizza

The Milton Tavern might pull out the Kid Card in this round. The TAVERN welcomes kids until 9 p.m. Saturday through Thursday, and until 4 p.m. Friday (TGIF!). It should also be known the Milton Tavern offers eight pizza sauces including garlic butter, black and blue and a "secret red sauce." Trackside Pizza laughs at those stats as it hosts kids at all hours and offers all-you-can-eat pizza slice bar during lunchtime. Can the kid-friendly sauce factory beat the $6.99 slice fest? Which pizza deserves to move up to the Stuffed 16?

• Milton Tavern (7320 Pacific Hwy. E., Milton)
• Trackside Pizza (201 N. Meridian, Puyallup)

Tomorrow's Pizza Battles: Battle in the East

Game 1: Terry's Office Tavern (3410 N. Proctor, Tacoma) vs. Fondi Pizzeria (4621 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor)

Game 2: Blue Cannon Pizza (4726 Borgen Blvd. NW, Gig Harbor) vs. The Fan Club Sports Bar (8315 83rd Ave. SW, Lakewood)

Game 3: Oldschool Pizzeria (108 Franklin St. NE, Olympia) vs. Apollo's Pizza & Pasta (2302 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia)

Game 4: Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor (3939 Martin Way E., Olympia) vs. Infernos Brick Oven Pizza (111 Tumwater Blvd. SE, Olympia)

LINK: What's up with this pizza tournament?

LINK: Oh hell yes I want the Weekly Volcano newsletter!