The February Desert Dolls Collective Monthly Pinball Tournament took place at Player One Arcade in Surprise, Arizona — a venue that’s been a second home to me for about five years now where I participate in Monday Night League, and more recently, our Thursday Night Women’s League.

Player One is owned by Kevin Ehlers, who genuinely deserves his birthday wish to come true. Kevin is an amazing arcade owners who cares deeply about the community he’s building — inclusive, welcoming, and supportive. His family is just as wonderful. His son Lobo runs the bar and keeps things fun and friendly, his wife Virginia played in the tournament with us, and his daughter also helps run the bar. It’s a true family operation, and it shows in the atmosphere. You feel taken care of there.

Me chillin’ and gearing up to play pinball

I arrived around noon, while everyone was still setting up. I grabbed my trusty Coleman chair from the car and set up camp outside the front — part pre-tournament ritual, part social hub, part “let’s take a breath before the chaos.” Tournament days are long, and pacing yourself is half the game.

Round 3 – Jaws

Another solid performance. I focused on control and consistency, letting the game come to me instead of forcing shots. At this point, I felt mentally steady and physically paced — which matters a lot in longer tournaments.

Round 4 – Bride of Pinbot

Bride was challenging, especially with the ramps fighting back, but I held my own. Not my favorite game of the day, but I stayed competitive and limited damage, which proved important later.

Round 5 – Red & Ted’s Road Show

I finished out in 4rd place on Red & Ted’s Roadshow. Amazing. Lee Ann blew it up and so did Teri. Dakota made a good jump over my score. This round was tougher. Road Show can get wild fast, and while I had moments of success, the game didn’t fully break my way. Still, I stayed composed and finished qualifying in a strong enough position to advance.

I Started off with last on Tales of Arabian Nights.

I got 2nd place on Roadshow. I did my best and Xris screamed past me.

This led to a 3-way tie breaker.

At the end of both machines, Elaine, Erica, and I were tied, forcing a three-way tiebreaker to determine who advanced. I got my best ball of the day, starting Gigan, then Godzilla multiball, and then Mechagodzilla multiball right after. I got 1st place and moved on to finals.

Finals

Making finals already felt like a victory, but now it was time to empty the tank.

The final rounds were tough, technical, and mentally demanding. Everyone there had earned their spot. Every missed shot mattered. Every save counted.

The final rounds were intense and well-matched. Every player had earned their spot, and the games reflected that. I fought hard through the finals and ultimately finished: 🏆 3rd Place Overall