Short week makes for a short "beat". The annual spring break lull has hit as the low amount of games on the scoreboard can attest to. No official league games were played in Division II although a couple teams still kept busy. Division I found four league games on the slate including an important Mountain conference match-up.

**Mercer Island 10, Eastside 8�Ravens proved a much worthier foe the second time, but the end result is still the same. This time around Eastside led at halftime but the Islanders proved they are just too deep and wore down the Ravens in the 2^nd half. Eastside did well to keep two of Mercer�s big guns in check as Brad Gillis and Alan Chirls were held to 1g, 1a COMBINED. Chris Taylor picked up the slack for the maroon and white though with 3g,2a. Mercer now has a commanding (and seemingly insurmountable) lead in the Mountain sitting at 8-0, two games ahead of Eastside.

**Eastside does however sit in good position for the 2^nd playoff spot in the Mountain. Despite the loss to Mercer, Eastside sits 3.5 games ahead of Maple Valley as the Vandals fell to Seattle Prep the same night.

**Maple Valley 11, PLU 6�The Vandals helped show just how strong the high school league is becoming with a convincing win over the collegiate club team from Pacific Lutheran University. Even more convincing when noted the Vandals played without leading scorer Christian Lindemann.

**For the second time this season a Division II team knocked off a Division I program as Issaquah defeated Seattle Prep 8-4. Issaquah took an early 2-1 lead only to see Prep respond and take a 3-2 lead with under 2 minutes left in the half. Issaquah stole the momentum right back as Jon Matusiefsky found Matt Robson on the crease to tie the game with 43 seconds in the half. Issaquah promptly won the ball right back and called timeout with less than 30 seconds in the half. Issaquah looked to run a set play, but Seattle Prep pressured in attempt to disrupt. Nick Tierney took advantage of the overplay, dipped into the middle and finished to send Issaquah into halftime up 4-3. It proved to be a huge turning point as Prep never truly regained any momentum. The 3^rd quarter was a stalemate until Tierney finished again at the end of the period. Issaquah then methodically pulled away in the 4^th behind some great defense and a few stellar transition goals.

ANDREW VINCENT, SR, Defense, MERCER ISLAND�Mercer Island has all sorts of weapons on offense and thus the defense is often overlooked. Don�t be fooled, Mercer is solid and the leader is Vincent. This week was a perfect example. With the offense struggling a bit, Vincent did his part to shut down Eastside�s top gun, Jack Andrews. Vincent held Andrews to his lowest scoring output of the season 1g, 1a. In fact Andrews 2 lowest games have both come against Vincent.

DUSTIN CRAMER, JR, Defense, ISSAQUAH...Quite simply, Dustin Cramer had one of the gutsiest performances ever. Extremely sick with the flu Cramer willed himself to just play through it. He played near perfect despite throwing up on the sidelines during the game. He convincingly shut down Seattle Prep�s top attackman, Andrew Parietti, holding him pointless for the first time all season.

Very few league games due to Spring Break, but plenty more DI vs DII excitement.

4/13 Garfield @ Bainbridge�Bulldogs looking solid defensively. Can they find enough offense to threaten the Spartans?

4/16 Garfield @ Nathan Hale�Great Metro match-up between two with opposite styles. Hale has already played in several high scoring shootouts. Garfield prefers the low scoring thrillers.

.The Weekly Beat is written by Brandon Fortier.