Mueller Secures Tenth Consecutive Top-Three Finish at Space City Showdown
It was 93 degrees with broken clouds over Katy on Saturday afternoon. Inside the air-conditioned refuge of EinStein’s Katy, an unassuming dive bar praised by locals for its relaxed atmosphere and hearty pub grub, 25 competitors gathered for the sixth Space City Pinball: Super Saturday Showdown of 2026. The man of the hour, however, was Jim Mueller. Arriving with a streak of 10 consecutive top-three finishes dating back to early March, Mueller brought a quiet momentum to the eight-round Group Match Play event.
By the end of the 242-minute tournament, he had secured his second victory in his last five outings, proving once again why he remains a formidable presence in the Texas pinball community. The July 4th event drew a completely IFPA-ranked field, requiring sharp execution across a diverse 36-machine lineup that spanned from 1978’s Stars to the newly released Pokémon.
A Dense Field at EinStein’s
The afternoon’s roster featured 25 players, establishing a solid competitive baseline for the classic weekly showdown. Among the entrants was Wesley Johnson, the highest-rated competitor in the room at IFPA 145 and the eighth-ranked player in the Texas state standings. Competitors navigated a format that awarded points based on finishing position within four-player groups—or three-player groups when the player count necessitated it—across eight total rounds.
Early in the afternoon, players with rising profiles began to make their presence known. Ryan Bell, currently ranked 8763 globally, has been steadily gaining rating points over the past year. Bell showed his capability in the final round of the day on Stern’s Guardians of the Galaxy (LE), where he captured a crucial 7 points ahead of Henri de Ybarrondo in a 26-minute group game. He would ultimately finish eighth overall, a solid showing in a room containing two state top-25 players.
Surprises on the Playfield
During the fourth round, Laura Manhard stepped up to Elvira’s House of Horrors (LE) for a three-player grouping. The 2019 Stern release, designed by Dennis Nordman, rewards players who can consistently hit the 36-24-36 standup targets on the left, which lights the spinning Victorian mansion trunk to lock a ball for multiball. Over a swift 10 minutes, Manhard locked down the top score, securing 7 points and leaving Stan Dessens and James Wilson to collect the remaining fractions.
That same round produced the sole blemish on Mueller’s otherwise pristine scorecard. Placed on Williams’ 1997 classic No Good Gofers with Troy Witherspoon, Bell, and Edward Chavez, Mueller faltered. Witherspoon capitalized on the 26-minute match to take first place in the group, forcing Mueller to settle for a single point. It was a brief reminder that in group match play, even the most dominant competitors can find themselves on the wrong side of a difficult layout.
Dessens Breaks the Deadlock
As the rounds accumulated, familiar opponents found themselves trading positions on the leaderboard. Stan Dessens entered Saturday locked in an even rivalry with Brian Fults across 10 shared tournaments. Dessens, who has seen his global rating climb to 1415 over the past year, managed to tip the scales this weekend. He consistently finished ahead of his rival, ultimately taking third overall while Fults ended the day in 12th place.
The tightening bracket eventually forced the frontrunners onto the same playfields. In Round 6, Dessens and Mueller were drawn together on Venom (Pro) alongside Fults and Bell. The 2023 Brian Eddy design requires unique muscle memory; when fighting the Grendel mode, the flippers reverse, forcing competitors to cross their arms to maintain control. The four players battled for 22 minutes before Mueller claimed the top spot with 7 points, leaving Dessens to take second with 5 points.
Mueller’s Near-Perfect Run
While the group format naturally suppresses runaway victories, Mueller’s performance bordered on a sweep. Aside from his Round 4 stumble, he registered the highest score in his assigned group on 7 of the 8 machines he encountered. His victims included Attack From Mars, AC/DC, John Wick, Stars, Venom, Elvira’s House of Horrors, and Batman 66. This level of consistency allowed him to dictate the pace of the tournament rather than react to the standings.
His primary challenger throughout the afternoon was Johnson. The two competitors have crossed paths in 12 shared tournaments, building a quiet history of close finishes. Mueller maintained a slight upper hand on Saturday, adding another chapter to their ongoing contest by finishing just ahead of the College Station native. It was a methodical display of control, demonstrating exactly how a player strings together double-digit podium appearances in a single season.
Looking Ahead in Texas
With this victory, Mueller bolsters a 2026 season that already includes six wins across 18 events and 249 Texas state circuit points. As the summer schedule continues, the Houston native remains the clear benchmark for local competitors looking to break into the winner’s circle. If he maintains this form, his current IFPA rank of 554 will quickly climb back toward his career peak of 226.
Podium:
- 1st: Jim Mueller
- 2nd: Wesley Johnson
- 3rd: Stan Dessens
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