Wichita ? A handshake simply wouldn’t work Saturday night at Wichita State University’s Cessna Stadium.

It didn’t matter that the competitor who was extending his palm to Baldwin’s Matt Noonan had just beaten the Bulldogs’ standout in the 800-meter run.

The runner-up finish not only kept Noonan from gold in the event, but also dashed his hopes for a distance-racing trifecta  winning state gold medals in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter races.

Good thing the guy that defeated Noonan in the last individual race of his unprecedented career was a good friend  maybe even a brother, although their last names aren’t the same.

When Noonan saw that, indeed, it was teammate Eric Black who crossed the finish line just a second before him, he did what only came natural.

“Yeah, I just kind of reacted by sticking out my hand,” said Black. “But, of course, I knew better than that. He wasn’t going to settle for anything less than a hug.”

The warm-wishes didn’t stop there Saturday as Baldwin, which has been a dominating force in cross country and track throughout the careers of their six sensational seniors, did what also comes natural  win.

The Bulldogs easily claimed their second consecutive Class 4A crown, scoring 73 points, 30 points more than their closest competitor.

“It really did feel like it was coming to an end today,” said Noonan, who has won 15 golds in both track and cross country. “It’s been an unbelievable time, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think it would turn out like this.”

The seniors couldn’t stop doing what they’ve always done  like sharing secrets to nearby competitors who were getting sick after their race, or encouraging the Baldwin girls on their way to a 17th-place finish.

“Hopefully, our legacy will be that we showed the younger kids how to do things the right way,” said senior Glen Stansberry. “It really is team, team, team. We feed so much off each other.”

That’s exactly how it was in the 800 on Saturday.

“I just told him before the race to sprint by me in warm-ups like we always do at practice so that he could get used to the feeling of what is was going to be like later in the race,” said Noonan of Black’s dominance over him in the 800 Â the specialty event of the Kansas University signee. “I really was so happy for him.”

Black won his first gold medal at state last season when he held off a screaming Noonan, who was praising Black when he crossed in front of him. The former needed a strong late surge once again Saturday to overcome his teammate.

“I was so nervous before the race because of the expectations I had,” Black said. “But there was Matt, like always, there to calm me down. I’m really going to miss these guys.”

On the girls side, McClouth junior Courtney Edmonds didn’t get the title she coveted in the mile race, settling for third place. She responded by winning her second straight Class 2A 800-meter gold medal.

“I mean I PR’ed (set a personal record) in the 1,600, but none of the girls out there were running what they had ran all season,” said Edmonds, one of a school-record 18 state qualifiers for the Bulldogs. “I could have probably done a little better, but my training this season has been a little different since I’m running one mid-distance race and one distance race.

“Still, it was an unbelievable feeling to do it again at this level.”