Sacred Hearts student Ayaka Kaneko shot an even-par 70 to win the American Junior Golf Association's Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior in Ashland, Ky., yesterday.

Kaneko, who will be a senior, had four birdies and parred 10 holes. She was the only player to shoot par or better in the third and final round to finish at 5-over 215.

"I'm happy," Kaneko said on the tournament's Web site. "I was just trying to make par at least today and avoid any big mistakes."

Kaneko was tied for the lead with Cheyenne Woods of Arizona heading into the final round. Woods shot a 75 to finish tied for second at 10-over 220 at Bellefonte Country Club.

In other AJGA events that ended on Thursday, Hawai'i Prep graduate Max Bonk shot a 7-over 79 to finish 26th at the Pacific Northwest International Junior at Trophy Lake Golf & Casting in Port Orchard, Wash.

Bonk had a three-round total of 15-over 231. Colton Knedler, who just finished his sophomore year at Punahou, finished tied for 35th at 18-over 234.

Paul Mitzel of Mercer Island, Wash., won at 3-over 219.

At the OSSO Junior at Oak Tree in Edmond, Okla., Pearl City senior-to-be Michael Jay Sato finished tied for 64th.

Sato had a two-round total of 19-over 159 at Oak Tree Country Club. William Kropp of Edmond won at 3-under 137.

MAEKAWA 23RD

Honoka'a High School graduate and state golf champion Sean Maekawa finished tied for 23rd at the Western Junior Championship yesterday at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa.

Maekawa, who led after shooting a 70 in Tuesday's first round, fired his third straight round of 3-over 75 to finish at 7-over 295.

Cody Gribble, a 16-year-old from Dallas, won with a four-round total of 6-under 288.