Mililani's Vae Malepeai and Saint Louis' Ryder Kuhns face off at John Kauinana Stadium Saturday in a game featuring two Division I contenders. ScoringLive photo illustration

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Better late than never.

One week after it the original game date, Division-I contenders Saint Louis and Mililani will take the field Saturday in one of the most anticipated match-ups of the non-league prep football schedule.

The visiting Crusaders, who are the third-ranked team in the ScoringLive/OC16 Division I Football Power Rankings, will be making their 2014 debut under legendary coach Cal Lee, the winningest prep coach in state history.

After back-to-back third-place finishes in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, Saint Louis will test itself early with non-league games against Mililani — last year's D1 state runner-up — and St. John Bosco — the open division champion from the California Interscholastic Federation in 2013 — before opening the ILH season against reigning state-champion Punahou, all on consecutive weekends. The Trojans are No. 2 in the current power rankings.

Offensively, the Crusaders will be led by senior quarterback Ryder Kuhns, who threw for 1,911 yards with 25 touchdowns against just six interceptions a year ago. Among the top receivers returning are Drew Kobayashi (473 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns) and Allan Cui III (263 rec. yds, 6 TDs).

Jedadiah Lulu, along with Siake Alualu, a pair of senior safeties, will anchor a defense that lost seven starters from a year ago, including ILH Defensive Player of the Year Jacob Lacaden.

The Saint Louis defense will have its hands full with a Mililani offensive unit that brings back eight starters from a year ago, including First-Team All-Hawaii running back Vavae Malepeai (1,350 rush yards, 20 touchdowns), who attended Saint Louis before leaving after his freshman year. Quarterback McKenzie Milton (1,626 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, 7 interceptions) has two of his top pass catchers back from a year ago in Kainoa Wilson (598 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns) and Bronson Ramos (421 rec. yds, 2 TDs).

The Trojans' defense lost eight starters from a year ago, but return First-Team All-Hawaii defensive lineman Rex Manu, a Stanford commit, and defensive end Kaimana Padello, the younger brother of 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, Kelii Padello.

Kickoff between Saint Louis and Mililani is slated for approximately 6:30 p.m. at John Kauinana Stadium. The game was originally scheduled for Aug. 9, but was postponed due to the threat of Hurricane Iselle.

Other games of interest this weekend:
No. 8 Kapolei at No. 5 Kahuku, Friday, 8:30 p.m.
The Hurricanes will make the trip to the North Shore and Carleton E. Weimer Field to open the OIA season against the Red Raiders. Kapolei, of the D1 Blue division, visits Farrington next week before its home opener against reigning league-champion Mililani on Aug. 30.

Lahainaluna vs. Kapaa, Saturday 7 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium
The Lunas are the top-ranked D2 team and likely the best team on the Valley Isle. They will face a stern test against the optimistic Warriors, who are No. 3 in the SL/OC16 D2 Power Rankings. Kapaa will be makings its debut under first-year varsity coach Phillip Rapozo.

Kauai at Konawaena, Saturday, 7 p.m.
The Red Raiders, ranked fourth in the SL/OC16 D2 Power Rankings, travel to Julian Yates Field to face the fifth-ranked Wildcats. Kauai reached the D2 state final last year before falling to Kaiser, which also defeated Konawaena in an opening-round game en route to its state championship.