# The Score Card: States & Starfighters

**Source:** Kineticist  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2026-02-04  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.kineticist.com/post/the-score-card-states-starfighters

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## Analysis

Kineticist's The Score Card reports on the 2025-26 IFPA State/Provincial Championships results and the inaugural 2026 Stern Pro Circuit event (Starfighters Pinball Festival). Raymond Davidson won the first SPC tournament, defeating Tim Hansen and Steve Strom in finals on classic machines. The article provides comprehensive winner lists across men's, women's, and provincial divisions, establishing the competitor roster for the IFPA NACS Nationals in March.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] IFPA State/Provincial qualifiers must place high after competing in at least 20 tournaments per state to secure a spot in State Finals — _Stated in article explanation of State Championship qualification process_
- [HIGH] Raymond Davidson won the 2026 Stern Pro Circuit opener (Starfighters Pinball Festival) in A Division — _Tournament results section explicitly lists Raymond Davidson as A Division winner_
- [HIGH] Starfighters Pinball Festival featured 160 total players competing in qualifying rounds with group Match Play format — _Stated in SPC tournament description_
- [HIGH] State Finals winners automatically qualify for IFPA NACS Nationals in March 2026 — _Article states: 'If you win, it's a ticket straight to Nationals'_
- [HIGH] Zach Sharpe won Illinois State Championship; Rebecca Hinsdale won Illinois Women's State Championship — _Both listed in respective State Finals winner lists_

### Notable Quotes

> "For those skilled enough to place high in their respective regions, January brings one of the biggest and most important tournaments of the year: the IFPA North American Championship Series State/Provincial Finals."
> — **Kineticist (editorial voice)**, Opening section
> _Establishes the significance of State Finals in competitive pinball calendar_

> "If you win, it's a ticket straight to Nationals. If you lose, it's back to the grind again, hoping for another shot at a States win."
> — **Kineticist (editorial voice)**, State Championships section
> _Describes high-stakes nature of State Finals competition and qualification stakes_

> "Raymond had a spectacular performance on Volley, nearly rolling it twice, securing first place for the match and the competition at large, and claiming the first Stern Pro Circuit win of 2026."
> — **Kineticist (editorial voice)**, SPC Finals section
> _Describes Raymond Davidson's winning performance in Starfighters A Division finals_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Raymond Davidson | person | Competitive pinball player who won the 2026 Stern Pro Circuit opener at Starfighters Pinball Festival, A Division |
| Rebecca Hinsdale | person | Won Illinois Women's State Championship (WNACS) |
| Zach Sharpe | person | Won Illinois State Championship (men's division) |
| Tim Hansen | person | California State Champion and Starfighters Pinball Festival A Division finalist |
| Steve Strom | person | Starfighters Pinball Festival A Division finalist |
| Dustin Goldbarg | person | Starfighters Pinball Festival A Division finalist |
| Jane Verwys | person | Won Women's division at Starfighters Pinball Festival |
| IFPA | organization | International Flipper Pinball Association; organizer of State Championships and NACS |
| Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of pinball machines; organizer of 2026 Stern Pro Circuit |
| Starfighters Arcade | organization | Venue in Mesa, Arizona hosting Starfighters Pinball Festival |
| Kineticist | organization | Pinball media outlet publishing The Score Card competitive results coverage |
| IFPA NACS Nationals | event | National championship tournament in March where State Finals winners compete |
| Starfighters Pinball Festival | event | 2026 Stern Pro Circuit inaugural event held in January in Mesa, Arizona |
| INDISC | event | Major pinball tournament returning February 26 – March 1 in Murrieta, California |
| Pin-Masters | event | IFPA pinball tournament held March 6-8 in West Chicago, Illinois |
| atomicagepinball | person | Streamed Starfighters Pinball Festival qualifying and playoffs on Twitch |
| Jurassic Park | game | Stern 2019 pinball machine played in Starfighters A Division finals Game 1 |
| Airborne | game | Capcom 1996 pinball machine played in Starfighters A Division finals Game 2 |
| Volley | game | Gottlieb 1976 pinball machine; finals game where Raymond Davidson won Starfighters |

### Topics

- **Primary:** IFPA State/Provincial Championships 2025-26, 2026 Stern Pro Circuit, Competitive pinball tournament results
- **Secondary:** Women's pinball competitive divisions (WNACS), IFPA NACS Nationals qualification, Tournament pinball calendar and upcoming events

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Article celebrates competitive pinball accomplishments, emphasizes excitement and opportunity in the tournament scene, provides comprehensive coverage of winners across all divisions. Tone is encouraging and inclusive toward both casual and serious competitors.

### Signals

- **[event_signal]** Starfighters Pinball Festival successfully launched 2026 Stern Pro Circuit with 160 players competing across multiple divisions (A/B/C, Classics, Women's) at Mesa, Arizona venue (confidence: high) — Article documents complete tournament structure, streaming coverage, and all division winners
- **[competitive_signal]** Raymond Davidson's Volley mastery (nearly rolling twice) key to winning SPC championship; showcases classic machine proficiency in modern pro circuit (confidence: high) — Article highlights his 'spectacular performance on Volley, nearly rolling it twice' as decisive factor in A Division finals
- **[community_signal]** Raymond Davidson recovered from weaker Game 1 and Game 2 performances (third and second place) to dominant Game 3 finish on Volley (confidence: medium) — Article notes: 'After coasting by with a third and second place finish in previous games, Raymond had a spectacular performance on Volley'

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## Transcript

In competitive pinball, the start of a new calendar year brings both relief and added pressure. On one hand, the hard work of the previous season has finally finished, and the yearly World Pinball Player Ranking points (WPPRs) are reset, putting everyone back on an even playing field. However, for those skilled enough to place high in their respective regions, January brings one of the biggest and most important tournaments of the year: the IFPA North American Championship Series State/Provincial Finals. For those talented players, this is a do-or-die moment, where they face off against the very best of their peers, all vying for a shot to play an even grander stage at the IFPA NACS Nationals in March.
After enjoying a bit of a vacation ourselves, we're back with the first 2026 edition of The Score Card to bring you all the big results of the IFPA State Finals. Additionally, the 2026 Stern Pro Circuit has already begun, marking the beginning of another challenging series of competitions with the first SPC event of the year, the Starfighters Pinball Festival. So, shake off that January sluggishness and prepare your flipper fingers, as the 2026 competitive season is now firmly underway.
IFPA 2025-26 North American State Championships
Qualifying for the IFPA State/Provincial Championships is no easy feat. For many, it requires consistent high-level play across the year, as players journey around their state to at least 20 tournaments, all fighting over the same pool of WPPRs. After the final tournament of a given year, the points are all tallied up, and only the best players (usually the top 16 or 24, depending on total state player count) are invited to compete in their respective State/Provincial competition. Competing in head-to-head, best-of-7 battles, it's common to see surprising upsets and inspiring underdog stories, as the pressure to perform spikes high.
If you win, it's a ticket straight to Nationals. If you lose, it's back to the grind again, hoping for another shot at a States win. The 2025-26 NACS State Finals were as exciting as ever, with dozens of championship tournaments all commencing on January 17. Now that the dust has settled and the results have been finalized, we have the full list of winners to peruse. Barring any back-outs, this list also doubles as a competitors list for the 2025-26 NACS Nationals, as all winners will once again fight for the big podium finish.
Below, you'll find the first-place finishers from every North American State/Provincial competition, as well as the Women's North American State Finals, many of whom you will assuredly see in future editions of The Score Card. Congrats to all the players who brought home the gold and to everyone who competed!
IFPA 2025-26 NACS States Winners List:
- Alaska – David Elrod
- Alabama – Timothy Street
- Arkansas – Grant Mortenson
- Arizona – John Shopple
- California – Tim Hansen
- Colorado – Ryan Wanger
- Connecticut – Josh Felton
- District of Columbia – Zachary Parks
- Delaware – Jason Zahler
- Florida – Eric Stone
- Georgia – Dalton Ely
- Hawaii – Craig Pennuto
- Iowa – Patrick Rhomberg
- Idaho – Brandon Atchley
- Illinois – Zach Sharpe
- Indiana – Travis Hockemeyer
- Kansas – Jason Scheffelmaer
- Kentucky – Ripley Kalyn Smith
- Louisiana – Nick Mueller
- Massachusetts – Nick Zendejas
- Maryland – Matthew Richardson
- Maine – Zoe Vrabel
- Michigan – Jared August
- Minnesota – Luke Nahorniak
- Missouri – Adam McKinnie
- Mississippi – Ryan Tanner Wade
- Montana – John Carls
- North Carolina – Drew Cedolia
- North Dakota – Dan Stephney
- Nebraska – Geoff Davis
- New Hampshire – Noah Crable
- New Jersey – Anthony Lambos Jr
- New Mexico – Nick Schademann
- Nevada – Jeff Rinehart
- New York – Dante Oliva
- Ohio – Gregory Kennedy
- Oklahoma – Rick Deml
- Oregon – Erik Graciosa
- Pennsylvania – Jared Schmidt
- Rhode Island – Nick DeStefano
- South Carolina – Andrew Foard
- South Dakota – Dustin Staadt
- Tennessee – Jason Wilson
- Texas – Colin Colin MacAlpine
- Utah – Marc Jackson
- Virginia – Julian Carlucci
- Vermont – Eric Marz
- Washington – Germain Mariolle
- Wisconsin – Kassidy Milanowski
- West Virginia – Will Krusa
IFPA 2025-26 NACS Provincial Winners List:
- Alberta – Mike Tzanakos
- British Columbia – Emily Reilhan
- Manitoba – Jay Woolston
- New Brunswick – Dylan Papazian-Clare
- Nova Scotia – Brian Audain
- Ontario – Carter Casselman
- Quebec – Pat Lampron
- Saskatchewan – Shaun Amos
IFPA 2025-26 WNACS States/Provincial Winners List:
- Alberta – Amanda Anderson
- Alaska – Sara Taylor Snyder
- Alabama – Rebecca Byrd
- Arkansas – Lora Streeter
- Arizona – Hailey Buhrman
- British Columbia – Emily Reilhan
- California – Cory Casella
- Colorado – Cindy Grote
- Connecticut – Nicole Turcotte
- District of Columbia – FL Ettlin
- Delaware – Samantha Jacob
- Florida – Ailsa Riddell
- Georgia – Tatiana Pinner
- Iowa – Alivia Haley
- Idaho – Roxanne Lewers
- Illinois – Rebecca Hinsdale
- Indiana – Amy Kesting
- Kansas – Jaden Jacks
- Kentucky – Ripley Kalyn Smith
- Louisiana – Pav Hunter
- Massachusetts – Zoe Vrabel
- Manitoba – Amanda Cowie
- Maryland – Candace Selby
- Maine – Liz Prince
- Michigan – Tim Treichel
- Minnesota – Lisa McGrath
- Missouri – Keri Wing
- Mississippi – Jessica Thaxton
- Montana – Alex Jokela
- North Carolina – Samantha Bacon
- Nebraska – Kara Galle
- New Hampshire – Jill Towne
- New Jersey – Cat Treese
- New Mexico – Brenna Peel
- Nevada – Michelle Leutzinger
- New York – Miriam Nadler
- Ohio – Emily Felvus
- Oklahoma – Deborah Tahlman
- Ontario – Kathleen Winona Hyslop
- Oregon – Jaimyn Emery
- Pennsylvania – Angie Marinelli
- Quebec – Gabrielle Mountenay
- Rhode Island – Amber Lee
- South Carolina – Kristen Weirich
- South Dakota –Dani Dinkum
- Saskatchewan – Tara Schoonbaert
- Tennessee – Sara Yoder
- Texas – Hope Love
- Utah – Paige Peck
- Virginia – Laura Fraley
- Vermont – Emily May
- Washington – Ashley Weaver
- Wisconsin – Kassidy Milanowski
- West Virginia – Alex Brackett
SPC Begins with Starfighters SPF26
The IFPA State Championships weren't the only big event of January, as earlier in the month, the 2026 Stern Pro Circuit officially began with the Starfighters Pinball Festival. Held at Starfighters Arcade in Mesa, Arizona, this annual event held multiple competitions, a “Max Match Play” tournament, Classics, Strikes, and Women's circuit tournaments, as well as the first Stern Pro Circuit tournament of the year. Qualifying for the SPC tournament utilized the group Match Play format, with 160 total players competing in 7 rounds of 3 matches each. The top 40 players made it into the A Division finals, with the next top 32 players occupying B and C Division finals.
The qualifying and playoffs action were all streamed live on Twitch thanks to atomicagepinball, giving us eager viewers a weekend of exciting pinball action. In the A Division playoffs, after preliminary rounds were wrapped up, four finalists competed in the grand finals: Steve Strom, Tim Hansen, Raymond Davidson, and Dustin Goldbarg.
Steve Strom started strong with a sizable win on Jurassic Park (Stern, 2019) in Game 1, but Tim Hansen fought back for his own victory in Game 2 on Airborne (Capcom, 1996). However, in the final game, Volley (Gottlieb, 1976), Raymond Davidison found his groove. After coasting by with a third and second place finish in previous games, Raymond had a spectacular performance on Volley, nearly rolling it twice, securing first place for the match and the competition at large, and claiming the first Stern Pro Circuit win of 2026.
Starfighters 2026 Winners List:
- A Division – Raymond Davidson (Elk Grove Village, IL)
- B Division – Kane Mejia (Hacienda Heights, CA)
- C Division – Dan Armstrong (Reno, NV)
- Classics – Carlos Delaserda (Columbus, OH)
- Women's – Jane Verwys (Chicago, IL)
Upcoming Pinball Tournaments
The year has just begun, which means that there's a fresh calendar ahead, full of exciting pinball events to attend. If you're new to the world of tournament pinball, I highly recommend starting with a local IFPA pinball league, where you can learn the ins and outs of competition in a social setting. Many leagues kick off in February and March, so check your favorite location to see if any new leagues are starting soon. Of course, there are countless events to check out on the IFPA Calendar, ranging from weekly strikes competitions to one-off tournaments with unique rules.
For the more serious players looking to farm WPPRs and climb the ranks, now is a good time to get your pinball schedule in order. Most of the Stern Pro Circuit tournaments have official dates and locations, giving you plenty of time to pre-register and arrange your travel accommodations. The almighty INDISC returns February 26 – March 1 in Murrieta, California, while the IFPA Pin-Masters tournament can be attended in West Chicago, Illinois, from March 6 – 8. More festivals, conventions, and large-scale tournaments are being added regularly, so be sure to keep an eye on the calendar of upcoming events and plan accordingly, especially if you want a shot at next year's IFPA State Championships. We'll be back next month to recap all the latest happenings in the world of tournament pinball, but in the meantime, embrace the new year and get to flipping!

_(Acquisition: web_scrape, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 09c46caf-3be6-4ce9-b5b6-5473558387cf*