The flippers clacked with a frantic, metallic energy on Stern’s Black Knight: Sword of Rage (Pro). It was only the opening round of the North Mountain Brewing League 1.4, but the pressure in the room was already suffocating. Zack Freeman, sitting at IFPA #23989, stepped up to plunge against Jeremy Reiman, a seasoned competitor ranked #3689. On paper, a 20,300-spot gap in the rankings dictates a predictable outcome. But for fifteen grueling minutes, Freeman navigated the treacherous ramps, avoided the devastating flail, and pulled off a stunning 7-point upset over Reiman.
That opening shocker was the perfect microcosm for an evening defined by a brutally deep competitive draw. On a mild, 78-degree evening in Phoenix, 27 players packed into the chill, arcade-lined space of North Mountain Brewing Company. Known for its handcrafted beers and American food, the venue’s dimly lit, 15-foot ceilings and energetic arcade room provided an atmospheric backdrop for a grueling competition. Of the 27 participants, 25 held active IFPA rankings. The national average rank hovered at an impressive #6323, bolstered by three top-1000 heavyweights and a fierce Arizona NACS representation featuring an average state rank of #168.
Surviving a five-round, four-player group format in a field this dense requires both precision and immense physical endurance. The brewpub’s diverse lineup of 13 machines served as an unforgiving battleground, forcing players to seamlessly transition from the punishing speed of older classics like the 2013 Metallica (Pro) to the deep rule sets of the brand-new 2025 King Kong: Myth of Terror Island (Pro).
Amidst this mechanical chaos, Dave Halley emerged as the undisputed champion. Ranked IFPA #859, Halley entered the night looking to reverse a recent slide, having dropped 155 places earlier this year and 62 places just this month. He leaned heavily on his veteran poise, a trait honed over nine years of active play and 684 career tournaments, to navigate the gauntlet. Halley didn’t just survive; he commanded the room with methodical precision, ultimately claiming the top podium spot and adding to his 127.50 WPPR points for the season without ever looking back.
Right on his heels were two of the state’s most dangerous rising stars, both of whom turned the tournament into their own personal highlight reels. David Sanders AZ secured a hard-fought second-place overall finish. With only two active years on record, Sanders is on a meteoric trajectory, having catapulted an incredible 1,489 places up the IFPA ladder this year. He was a dominant force throughout the night, securing 23.69 WPPR points over 8 events this season. More importantly, his performance carried heavy personal stakes: he managed to close his head-to-head gap against his perennial rival, Jeremy Reiman. Coming into the tournament trailing 1-3 against Reiman, Sanders narrowed the deficit to 2-3, adding a layer of sweet personal triumph to his silver-medal run.
Rounding out the podium was Brittany Daniel AZ, a player whose recent momentum has become undeniable. Climbing 681 ranking spots this year based on early three-year trend data, Daniel arrived at North Mountain riding a scorching hot streak of three top-3 results in her last five outings. With 39.49 WPPR points accumulated over 20 events this season, her early and consistent dominance secured her position at the top of the leaderboard. Her unwavering execution under pressure proves her consistency and cements her status as a rapidly growing threat in the Arizona competitive circuit.
The rest of the leaderboard was a bloodbath of established talent fighting desperately to hold their ground against the newcomers. Tying for a crowded fourth place were Mike Mcclure and John Stein. Mcclure came into the night riding a massive three-event podium streak. Stein—who has surged an astonishing 1,826 positions on the IFPA ladder over the past 12 months—entered the brewpub with three victories in his last five outings and maintained his reputation as a heavy hitter. They were joined in the top ten by Andrew Kohtz, the strongest state player in attendance at AZ NACS #24. Kohtz has climbed 456 spots this year alone, adding his deep mechanical knowledge to a fiercely contested top bracket.
As the final scores were tallied and the din of the brewpub faded, the North Mountain Brewing League 1.4 stood as a testament to the current era of competitive pinball. Stepping into a room with 25 ranked players, multiple top-1000 national talents, and a host of hungry up-and-comers like Sanders and Daniel who are climbing the ranks by the hundreds. Zack Freeman’s stunning opening-round upset wasn’t an anomaly; it was the baseline expectation for a field this dense. In a 27-player bracket this deep, there are no easy rounds, and the local circuit has never looked healthier—or more ruthless.
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