It was a clear, 72-degree evening with 70% humidity in Anaheim on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Inside the doors of Hyper Beer Co., located right on the W Center Street Promenade, players discovered a pristine oasis of competitive pinball. Patrons often consider the bar a tucked-away treasure, praising the immaculate condition of the machines and the lively, welcoming environment. Players settled in with unique house beverages like cherry coke seltzers and retro futuristic IPAs to prepare for a grueling night of flipping.
The event, Hyper Beer Co. Season III #6, drew 38 participants, ready to battle in a Group Match Play format. The tournament featured four-player groups, awarding points based on finishing positions across a single intensive round of 60 total games. With 19 machines spanning half a century of pinball history—from the classic 1976 Night Rider to the brand new 2026 Pokémon (Pro)—the stage was set for a rigorous test of flipper skills.
A Clash of Ranked Titans and Local Challengers
The competitive context of the evening was a perfect slice of the Southern California pinball scene, featuring a balanced draw of 22 IFPA-ranked competitors alongside 16 unranked hopefuls. The field held an average national rank of #7,490, boasting a total combined career experience of 2,445 events among the players. Fifteen of the attendees were ranked within the California NACS standings, averaging a state rank of #587.
Looming over the bracket was Dennis Eichhorn, the strongest competitor in the room with a national rank of #351 and a CA NACS rank of 44. Eichhorn arrived with a formidable recent record, boasting two wins in his last five tournaments, including a victory at the Long Beach Pinball League Season 24 in early May. Also in the mix were climbing players like Jordan Bolohan, actively pushing his rank up to #5,041 this season, and Brent Stoddard, who is on a genuine upward trajectory this year and sits at IFPA #1,481.
Marathons on Pokémon and Mousin’ Around! Upsets
The single-round structure left no room for early mistakes, and the tension resulted in some dramatic head-to-head collisions across the venue’s diverse lineup. The most grueling battle of the night unfolded on Stern’s 2026 release, Pokémon (Pro). Amanda Selzer, Mari Ilano, Shane Cline, and Jairo Estrada locked into a marathon 145-minute game on the new title. Ultimately, Selzer (#31,270) outlasted the group to claim the top position and seven points, sending a wave of exhaustion and relief through her group.
Meanwhile, the most-played machine of the tournament, Bally’s 1989 classic Mousin’ Around!, played host to a significant upset. Stoddard faced off against the tournament favorite, Eichhorn. In a swift 19-minute match, Stoddard secured the victory and the full seven points over Eichhorn, who was forced to settle for second place and five points. Bolohan and Jessyca Boatright finished third and fourth, respectively, in that same game. This early stumble by the top seed proved that no outcome was guaranteed in this deeply varied field.
The Tightly Contested Race for Silver
While Stoddard earned an early victory over the favorite, Eichhorn quickly regained his composure and mounted a ferocious comeback. Following a third-place finish on the 50th anniversary edition of Jaws, Eichhorn found his rhythm. He proceeded to tear through his remaining group games, capturing first place and seven points on Cactus Canyon (Lyman Upgrade), Night Rider, Metallica Monsters (Premium), and Pulp Fiction (SE). His 135-minute battle on Pulp Fiction showcased his endurance, proving exactly why he is a top-500 national player.
Matching Eichhorn’s late-game surge was Brian Diaz, an IFPA #7,619 player who also found a path to the podium. Diaz opened his tournament with a solid second-place finish on World Cup Soccer, before taking a victory on John Wick (Pro). Diaz traded blows with Alex Rahmani, Anna Garcia, and Tristen Roper throughout his group’s rotation. By securing top finishes on Jaws and Harley Davidson, Diaz managed to accumulate enough points to force a deadlock. By the end of the 166-minute event, Diaz and Eichhorn shared the silver medal in a tie for second place.
The Five-Way Logjam for Fifth
Just below the top four, a massive traffic jam developed in the standings. Five players finished in a dead heat for fifth place: Hillary Jacobson (#3,169), Evan Malanosky (#5,735), Ian Maddux (#5,098), Stoddard, and a suppressed player. Jacobson’s run was fueled by a mid-tournament hot streak, where she captured consecutive first-place finishes on Night Rider, Pokémon (Pro), and Pulp Fiction (SE). Malanosky, who uses they/them pronouns, also had a stellar start to their evening, notching back-to-back wins on King Kong: Myth of Terror Island (Pro) and Deadpool (Pro).
This tie perfectly encapsulated the density of the middle field. With 15 state-ranked participants battling for every single match point, the margins between a top-five finish and dropping out of the top ten were razor-thin. Maddux secured his piece of the fifth-place pie by winning his final three games of the night on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Star Wars: Fall of the Empire (Pro), and Jaws.
Goetz’s Unstoppable Arena Sweep
Despite the fierce regional talent and the chaotic nature of group match play, Jimmy Goetz engineered a run of absolute dominance. Goetz put on a masterclass, taking the top score on five of the six machines he played throughout the evening. His undeniable consistency across different eras and styles of games left the rest of the field scrambling for leftover points.
Goetz opened his night with a brisk 22-minute victory on Jaws, dispatching Gino Whitehall and Forrest Gaddis. He immediately followed that up with another win on King Kong: Myth of Terror Island (Pro). His only blemish of the entire evening came during a 53-minute battle on World Cup Soccer, where Whitehall managed to best him for the top spot, leaving Goetz in second. Undeterred, Goetz slammed the door on his competition by sweeping his final three games, taking down John Wick (Pro), Deadpool (Pro), and Pokémon (Pro) in succession.
This arena sweep secured Goetz the outright first-place finish for the tournament in front of a packed bar. Andy Thorne (#2,439) finished solidly in fourth place just behind the Diaz and Eichhorn tie, rounding out the top tier of the leaderboard.
Ultimately, the Hyper Beer Co. Season III #6 tournament delivered exactly the kind of vibrant, competitive context that sustains the local pinball community. With 38 players spanning elite top-500 talent and eager unranked newcomers, the event highlighted the depth and unpredictability of the California NACS circuit. Jimmy Goetz’s spectacular winning run against a deeply varied field proved that on a classic weekly-scale night, executing under pressure is the ultimate trump card.
No comment yet, add your voice below!