Salpointe and Walden Grove played to a 0-0 tie Monday night at Salpointe which means the 4A powers should stay near the top of the rankings heading down the stretch with the playoffs starting on Feb. 11 for the Open Division. No. 2 Salpointe (4-2-2) and No. 4 Walden Grove (7-1-1) are ranked high enough to make the inaugural Open Division with both squads currently in line to host a first round match.

It's possible one or both squads will shift back to the 4A state playoffs if the teams lose in the first two rounds of the Open Division. They will then host on Feb. 18 in that scenario.

Walden Grove beat Salpointe 3-1 in the 4A state championship match last year after Salpointe beat Walden Grove 2-1 to win it all the year before. It was the fist title for Walden Grove since 2015 and the Lancers have six championships from 2017 including three in a row in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Walden Grove pressured the Salpointe defense with eight shots in the first half Monday night but the Lancers turned momentum a bit with four shots in the second half and four more in the first overtime period. It was a classic battle between two top teams and the Lancers have four matches left in the regular season starting with No. 29 Sahuaro (3-9) coming in on Wednesday night and Walden Grove will play at 5A No. 32 Mountain View Marana (1-7-1) Friday night to start a three-match ending to their regular season.