Eudora ? After the final whistle pierced the chilly air Tuesday, the Eudora High football team was left seeing stars — two of them, to be exact, named Micah Mason and Andy Hannon.

Baldwin High’s sensational run-pass combination was more than a handful to a usually tough Eudora defense, combining for 316 yards and four touchdowns in a 43-18 Baldwin victory.

The win gives Baldwin the bi-district title and moves it another round into the Class 4A state playoffs. Eudora finished its season with a 7-3 record.

“Our goal this year was to be in the state championship,” Baldwin coach Mike Berg said. “Every year, every team’s goal is to be there. We’ve been short time after time, and now we’re taking it one step at a time.”

Most of the steps, it seems, are coming from the powerful legs of Mason. The tailback rushed for 265 yards on 30 carries Tuesday, seven times breaking off runs of more than 10 yards and four more times picking up nine-yard gains.

Among them were touchdown runs of 18, 70 and 19 yards. He also ran in a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter and made numerous tackles at the linebacker position.

“I didn’t work as hard as it looked,” Mason said. “I had awesome blockers tonight. Especially on the outside.”

Not to be outdone, Hannon caught three passes for 51 yards, had a 20-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, caught the ensuing two-point conversion, returned a punt 41 yards that nearly broke for another score and intercepted two Tyler Cleveland passes in the first half.

It was nothing new to Berg. Just another night’s labor for his two workhorse seniors.

Baldwin High's Micah Mason (33) slips out of the grasp of Eudora's Jeremie Bryant in the Bulldogs' Class 4A bi-district football championship game. BHS beat the Cardinals, 43-18, Tuesday in Eudora.

“Micah with his great runs opens up our passing game. Andy with his great catches opens up our running game,” Berg said. “And our offensive line can do both.”

Baldwin had a 14-0 lead just seven minutes in, but Eudora’s stingy defense — that has allowed just 12 points per game this season — made the adjustments and, for a while, made the stops.

Late in the second quarter, Cleveland ran a quarterback draw 12 yards for the Cardinals’ first score. With just 59 seconds left in the half, Eudora, it appeared, would trail only 14-6 at halftime.

Not so fast.

Baldwin (8-2) had just enough time to hand the ball off to Mason after the ensuing kickoff. On the second play, Mason promptly rumbled 70 yards downfield for the touchdown, putting the Bulldogs up 21-6 with 10 seconds left in the half. Without a doubt, it knocked the wind out of the Cardinals, who thought they’d have the halftime momentum in their locker room.

¢ 6Sports video: Bulldogs blast Cardinals, 43-18

“They do a good job of blocking for him,” Eudora coach Gregg Webb said of Mason. “But he’s a special back. We’ve got tough kids … but we couldn’t tackle him.”

Mason had 145 yards on 11 carries in the first half alone. All but two of his 30 carries went for positive yardage Tuesday. For the season, Mason has 1,631 rushing yards on just 202 carries.

Baldwin High senior Micah Mason hoists the bi-district championship trophy while being surrounded by his teammates. Mason rushed for 265 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 43-18 victory Tuesday night over Eudora in the first round of the Class 4A state football playoffs in Eudora.

Baldwin fullback Kyle Flory and quarterback Jeremy Wright added second-half scores for the Bulldogs. Eudora got a late touchdown by junior Josh Barr, who snuck into the left corner on a four-yard run.

It was a night of vindication for the Bulldogs, who just one year ago saw their season end at the hands of Eudora. The Cardinals won that game, 21-14.

But with the victory, Baldwin has won three of its last four over Eudora, one of the state’s toughest teams over the last two years. Tuesday’s 25-point margin was the first time in the last four Baldwin-Eudora games that the two teams were separated by more than one score.

“It feels great,” Berg said. “I respect Eudora’s coach. They’re running a great program here. To beat a team of this magnitude is big for us. Especially twice in one year.”

Now, the Bulldogs turn their attention to Saturday’s game with Kansas City Piper, which improved to 9-1 after beating Royal Valley, 21-10, Tuesday. The winner will play in the state quarterfinals next week.

Eudora High's Josh Brouhard, left, drags Baldwin's Scott Johnson during their Class 4A state football playoff game. The Cardinals lost, 43-18, Tuesday in Eudora.

“It’s been a long time since the Baldwin Bulldogs have been in the top 16 in the state,” Berg said. “The kids have worked hard. It’s been a long road, but we’re not finished. Not yet.”