High Schools:

Kohl Jones’ cast is off. Will it be enough for the Estancia High boys’ basketball team to regain its winning stride?

Marykay Jones said her son’s left ankle looks “pretty good” after the removal of the cast Friday. The Eagles (15-11) enter next week’s CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA playoffs in need of a spark.

Estancia closed out the regular season with two losses, both costing the program its first league title since 2004-05, and leaving the Eagles tied for second place in the Orange Coast League at 5-3. Jones missed the final four league games after the senior tore ligaments in his ankle during practice on Jan. 26.

The Eagles went 2-2 without Jones. Coach Agustin Heredia believes the guard can provide the Eagles a lift.

“I don’t anticipate him being 100%, but having him there will help because he’s such an asset,” Heredia said of the Eagles’ leading scorer, who averaged 14.3 points per game.

“We’re going to have to wait and see how [his ankle] feels on Monday.”

The Eagles learn of their first-round opponent Sunday, when the section releases the playoff pairings.

Marykay said her son plans to spend the days leading up to Wednesday’s game in the pool and Jacuzzi.

 Costa Mesa’s Brian Waldron hoped to ring the Battle for the Bell trophy in three sports in his senior season.

He was able to in football in the fall. He wasn’t so lucky in boys’ basketball this winter and he was OK with that.

The guard helped the Mustangs knock off rival Estancia, 46-43, in the regular-season finale and end the Eagles’ Orange Coast League title hopes.

Waldron scored five of his seven points in the fourth quarter as Costa Mesa earned its first league victory and finished 3-22, 1-7 in league.

“It’s a little bittersweet, just because we didn’t get that Bell,” said Waldron, referring to the Mustangs coming up eight points short after the Bell winner was determined by total points from the two games Estancia and Costa Mesa split.

“If feels good, for your pride.”

Ending a 10-game losing streak and winning a game for the first time since Dec. 30 also felt good to Waldron.

Next for Waldron is baseball in the spring.

 Estancia and Costa Mesa play for the biggest high school rivalry trophy I’ve ever seen in my dozen years covering sports. The All-Sports Cup, created by Costa Mesa United, is taller than some second-graders.

At the end of the school year, one school wins the Cup. Each of the sports count, the football rivalry awards the most points at 15 per game, followed by five points for each of the contests the rest of the athletic programs play against each other.

Through the fall, Estancia leads, 45-15. The Eagles won in boys’ and girls’ cross country (10 points), girls’ golf (10), girls’ volleyball (10), girls’ tennis (10) and boys’ water polo (five points). Costa Mesa’s lone victory in the fall was in football.

The winning school will also have the Newport Rib Company cater a lunch party for its varsity athletes.

 The other day, Sage Hill girls’ basketball coach Lou Silverman left a message on my boss’ voice mail. Steve Virgen forwarded it my way.

Silverman wanted to give senior Hannah Jeffrey kudos.

“She kept the tradition of pounding the boards alive for us,” said Silverman, whose Lightning fell short of defending their Academy League title and finished tied for third place at 5-5.

The forward averaged 13.1 rebounds per game to go with nine points and 4.1 blocks during the regular season.

Jeffrey has put up impressive numbers like post players Tierney Danner and Haywood Wright did while at Sage Hill. Danner, a 2009 graduate, and Wright, a 2006 graduate, each earned the Daily Newport-Mesa Player of the Year award.

 The newsroom bid farewell to one its top photographers, Kent Treptow. He shot many of the colorful photos you see in the sports section.

On Friday, Treptow literally walked out of the newsroom for the opportunity to walk across the country. Yes, walk.

You can follow Treptow’s every step at www.kenttreptow.com.