[1/13/04]Two weeks ago, Porters Chapel Academy looked like a team with a good chance to repeat as Academy-A baseball state champions.

Today, the Eagles seem like a shoo-in.

Left-handed pitcher Justin Boler and catcher Rob Quimby, who started at Class 5A Vicksburg High last season, have transferred to PCA and will play baseball at the school this spring. The addition of the two players fills a couple of glaring needs for the Eagles and makes them the favorite to add a second state title to their resum.

“We lost nine seniors off of last year’s team, and six of them were everyday starters, so we have a lot of voids to fill,” PCA coach Randy Wright said. “These two guys should be a tremendous help in that respect.”

Wright already had some firepower coming back, including pitcher Ryan Hoben, the Vicksburg Post’s 2003 co-player of the year. Hoben went 12-1 with 128 strikeouts and a 0.92 ERA last season, and clinched PCA’s state title with a one-hitter against Heidelberg in game three of the state championship series.

Behind Hoben there were some questions with the staff. Freshman Michael Busby throws in the mid-80s and has had great success on youth tournament teams, but will be pitching on the high school level for the first time this spring. Josh Gain and Dan Ivey only threw 7 1/3 innings between them last season.

Boler, meanwhile, was 5-1 with a 3.69 ERA for the Gators in 2003. The junkballer was a three-year starter at VHS, and also won five games as a freshman in 2001.

At Vicksburg, he was one of several left-handers vying for innings on a deep and talented staff. With ace James Jackson a lefty whose fastball has been clocked at 92 mph and four other pitchers returning, Boler felt he had a better chance for playing time at PCA.

“I think we had six or seven left-handed pitchers (at VHS), and when you have that many pitchers you only pitch every sixth or seventh game,” said Boler, who was second on the team with 36 innings pitched last season for VHS. “This gives the younger guys a chance to move up. It’s good for everybody. It doesn’t hurt anybody.”

Boler added that several personal factors played a part in his move, including Quimby’s decision to transfer. Quimby has caught Boler for several years, and said he wanted a shot at a state championship.

“I’ve been thinking about coming over here since I was 11 or 12,” said Quimby, who hit .295 with five doubles and 17 RBIs for VHS last season. “I thought about a chance to get a ring, and decided to come on over and get a big old state championship ring.”

Quimby also fills another hole for PCA, that of a second catcher. Hoben is the Eagles’ normal starter when he isn’t pitching, but two other catchers left the school.

Josh Rush, the backup for the last two seasons, graduated, and freshman Tyler Wells transferred to VHS last summer.

With Quimby behind the plate, Wright can rest Hoben’s legs and shuffle his lineup a bit.

As for Vicksburg High, Gators coach Jamie Creel said the loss of Quimby and Boler shouldn’t be a major blow to his team.

“We’re in a situation where we’ve got quality players throughout the program,” Creel said. “You lose a pitcher and the guy below them has to step up. And that’s what’ll happen.”