By Nazario Rodriguez Jr.
Horizon news staff

Airai Team Manager Hilario Rechesengel expressed confidence the Aces would regain the crown in the 2007 Palau Major League.
"We have a big chance this year but our performance will depend on the players themselves," Rechesengel said following the Aces’ 23-0 victory over Koror Wednesday night at the Asahi Field.
He said that his team is not that really strong as the other coaches believe it is.
But Rechsengel has a lot of confidence for the team.
"We will take every game seriously because every game should be important," he said.
The team is relying on defense to be able to achieve the Aces’ ultimate goal of regaining the title they last won in 2004.
They almost did it last year but lost to back-to-back champion Koror, which however lost all of its players this time and is currently relying on rookies.
The nucleus of that back-to-back champion Koror team are now with PCC Mesekiu, the only team so far that gave the Aces their first defeat this season, a 4-2 decision in their Feb. 2 encounter.
Assessing the game, Rechsengel said the Aces had mental lapses, which caused their loss.
He said that the Aces were not able to dig deep in offense and Rechesengel vowed to come back next time around.
That loss snapped a five-game winning run and the team is now in second place with 6-1 behind PCC’s 6-0, including a masterful 22-10 victory over Ngaraard on Feb. 6.
The Aces’ next assignment is against Kayangel on Tuesday Feb. 13.
Kayangel is the other team that Rechesengel said will not to be taken lightly.
"We have to prepare hard and work hard for this game," he said.
PCC’s Team Manager Todd Ngiramengior experimented against Ngaraard by putting in his young players in the first five innings and saw his team lagging behind at 2-10.
PCC then went on to score at will in the seventh inning and finished the game easily behind its frontliners that included his former wards as an assistant to Uchel Sechewas in Koror in 2005.
These are Sureor Ngirailemesang, Ty Saike, Melengis Uchel, Bedor Kyota and Omsuul Yalap.