It was a warm August evening in Anaheim when 26 players filed into Captain’s Arcade Showroom for the opening night of the Pins & Pirates League – Season 8. The clear skies outside were matched by the glint of polished playfields inside — 45 pinball machines standing at attention, from cult classics to cutting-edge releases.
Tournament organizer CC Castaneda was pulling double duty: making sure everything ran smoothly while also jumping into the competition herself. Across the floor, Paul Xavier — a familiar face and frequent opponent — was ready for battle. And in the middle of it all? Kane Mejia, the quiet but relentless competitor whose steady hand would define the night.
Kane’s Quiet Conquest
Kane’s run wasn’t flashy, but it was deadly consistent. He placed first or second in most of his matches, showing the kind of adaptability that wins leagues. One round had him threading the smooth, fast ramps of The Mandalorian (LE) — a 2021 Stern that mixes stop-and-go bounty hunter missions with upper mini-playfield skirmishes — and another on Elvira’s House of Horrors (Premium), where code depth and mode stacking turn one ball into an epic.
He even kept his composure on Laser Cue, a 1984 Williams table that trades flashy toys for precise drop-target sniping and tight inlane/outlane pressure. Whether it was modern rule sets or old-school shot discipline, Kane found the angles, controlled the ball, and walked away as the night’s champion.
The Long Game: CC vs. Paul
The rivalry between CC Castaneda and Paul Xavier isn’t just a one-night story — it’s been simmering since their first recorded matchup in early 2023. Back then, Paul edged CC out on a System 11-era machine, and the pattern has often repeated: close games, plenty of mutual respect, and a knack for running into each other when it matters.
In the past year, they’ve crossed paths at multiple SoCal events — sometimes Paul taking the upper hand, sometimes CC catching him on an off night. The margins have always been slim. In the IFPA rankings, Paul currently holds a slight edge in points, but not enough that CC couldn’t flip the order with one strong finish.
This tournament brought them together again — most memorably in Round 1 on JAWS (Premium/LE), Stern’s 2024 summer blockbuster. Designed by Keith Elwin, it uses a mix of bash targets, upper-playfield loops, and “shark pursuit” modes to build tension. Paul took the round, Kane took the win, and CC? She walked away already plotting the rematch.
They met again on Laser Cue, where Paul’s accuracy carried him through. It’s the kind of matchup where every drop target matters — and both of them know exactly how much those points can swing.
Flippers, Fin Shots, and Fan Favorites
JAWS (Premium/LE) – Stern’s 2024 blockbuster from Keith Elwin had players talking before they even plunged. The shark fin bash toy is the centerpiece, tracking your shots while the “beachgoer” hurry-ups tempt you into risky play. Multiball starts by filling the chum bucket, hitting the pop-up fin, and then chasing yellow shots — easier said than done under pressure. Players praised the cinematic lightshows and callouts for putting you right on Amity Island, but its tight shot geometry means no lazy flipper work will survive.
The Mandalorian (LE) – Steve Ritchie’s 2021 entry is a modern Stern flow machine, anchored by smooth left and right ramps and a razor-quick upper mini-playfield for precision work. Missions stack off the scoop, and savvy players save Razor Crest multiball to layer on top of mode scoring. In tournament play, the challenge is balancing high-speed ramp shots with control, since a missed orbit can punish you fast.
Elvira’s House of Horrors (Premium) – Dennis Nordman and Lyman Sheats delivered a love letter to camp horror in 2019. With 26 movie clips, an interactive haunted house toy, and one of Stern’s deepest rulesets, it’s a playground for mode stackers and risk-takers. Its controlled pace makes it a favorite for players who like to build toward a monster jackpot rather than shoot for quick multiballs.
Laser Cue – A 1984 Williams drop-target classic designed by George Molentin, it looks simple until you play it under pressure. The symmetrical layout and sequential drop-target rules mean a missed shot can hand your opponent the setup they need. Tournament players respect it as a skill filter — you can’t fake your way through Laser Cue.
Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons – Built by Dennis Nordman and Greg Freres in 2015 but styled like a 1960s EM wedgehead, it’s as much tongue-in-cheek art as it is a pinball game. Four flippers, wide-open shots, and those infamous outlanes make nudging a must. The simple rules (rip the melon targets, repeat) hide the fact that one bad bounce can erase a strong lead in seconds.
Shout-Out to the Showroom
Captain’s Arcade Showroom remains one of Southern California’s most inviting competitive pinball homes. The mix of 45 well-maintained games — from brand-new Sterns to electromechanical gems — makes it as much a museum as a playground. CC’s work in keeping the lineup ready for competition is part of why leagues here keep growing.
Treasure Claimers of the Night
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Kane Mejia – Calm, calculated, and relentless. Kane never panicked, even when a ball threatened to drain. His blend of sharp shooting on The Mandalorian and patience on Laser Cue earned him the captain’s share of the treasure.
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Mayumi Mae – The grinder of the group. Mayumi’s night was built on clawing back from mid-pack positions, turning tight matches on Elvira’s House of Horrors into point-rich hauls.
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Torin Shelley – The opportunist. When others faltered on the trickier classics, Torin capitalized — his run on Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons was a masterclass in old-school nudging.
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Brian Sutherland – The seasoned helmsman. Brian used his six years of competitive play to weather bad bounces and keep pressure on the leaders until the final round.
California IFPA Pinball Top 10
While our podium finishers didn’t shake up the state leaderboard this week, wins like Kane’s keep the pressure on the elite. Here’s how the California standings look right now:
| Rank | Player Name | City | Wppr Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dustin Goldbarg | Sunnyvale | 789.3 |
| 2 | Tim Hansen | Sunnyvale | 748.46 |
| 3 | Jack Slovacek | 697.05 | |
| 4 | Zac Wollons | San Francisco | 637.78 |
| 5 | Nic Stein | Davis | 636.83 |
| 6 | Derek Thomson | Sherwood Park | 571 |
| 7 | Arvid Flygare | Lund | 557.24 |
| 8 | Escher Lefkoff | 550.3 | |
| 9 | Timber Engelbeen | Nazareth | 543.13 |
| 10 | Zach McCarthy | Conifer | 533.63 |
Wrapping It Up
Between Kane’s methodical path to victory, the CC vs. Paul rivalry’s newest chapter, and a lineup of machines that demanded both brains and reflexes, the first night of Pins & Pirates League – Season 8 delivered on every front. If this is the tone-setter for the season, the rest of the league is going to be a brawl worth following.