The time for speculation is over.

Put away records, rankings, polls and the like. The only way to settle this, once and for all, is to play the game.

That’s just what’s going to happen Saturday morning at 10:05 a.m. at the UNI Dome.

The Emmetsburg E’Hawks will meet West Lyon’s Wildcats for the Class 1A State Championship.

That, in a nutshell, is what the entire football season has been building up to since those steamy days in August for the Emmetsburg E’Hawks.

“This is just a great opportunity for us as a team,” noted Emmetsburg Head Coach Mike Dunlap. “It’s a great opportunity for a group of kids who have worked very, very hard all season long, and are so deserving of this.”

Few will disagree that the title game this Saturday is a great reward for the E’Hawks, who put together a dominant season for their first year in Class 1A action.