Charles Makes the Grade on SAT : Prep football: Hart tailback to visit Montana, attracts interest from Washington State.

Deriek Charles, The Times’ Valley back of the year, said Friday he has earned a qualifying score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

Charles, a Hart High tailback, scored 750 on the test, which he took Jan. 23. The minimum SAT score for incoming freshman athletes to gain eligibility their first year at NCAA Division I schools is 700. Charles scored 650 when he took the test in November.

Charles will leave Feb. 27 for a recruiting trip to I-AA member Montana. Washington State also is considering offering its last scholarship to Charles.

“I feel real good about it, this is a big lift off of my shoulders,” Charles said. “Right now I’m really not sure what I’m going to do. I just want to go to a school that wants me.”

Several major colleges have been interested in Charles, who rushed for 1,133 yards, caught 44 passes for 757 yards, scored 23 touchdowns and was selected co-MVP of the Foothill League. However, he has not been offered a scholarship because schools were awaiting his SAT results. The signing period for high school football players began Feb. 3.

But while Charles was considering his options, other area players were firming up their plans. Defensive back Kenyon Lewis of Moorpark College, the Western State Conference North Division defensive player of the year in 1992, has signed a letter of intent with Texas El Paso.

Lewis, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound sophomore from Oxnard High, took recruiting trips to UTEP and San Jose State.

He is the fourth Moorpark player from last year’s team to sign with UTEP. The others are quarterback Corey Tucker, defensive back Brian Vellmure and defensive back-punt returner Nick Estrada.

Lewis, who is expected to complete his Associate of Arts degree in June, is a two-time All-North Division selection. He intercepted seven passes during his two seasons at Moorpark.

“He was certainly the player that we built our defense around,” Moorpark Coach Jim Bittner said. “He’s an outstanding player.”

In other developments, Pierce tight end Xavier Foreman and Moorpark defensive lineman Jacob James have signed with Utah State and St. Mary’s, respectively, and San Fernando High fullback Amon Flanagan has signed a letter of intent to play next season for Ohio University.

Foreman (6-3, 215) had 19 receptions for 386 yards and four touchdowns last season.

James (6-0, 200), who played for Canyon High, is diminutive by defensive lineman standards, but that did not prevent him from earning All-WSC North Division honors last year.

Flanagan (5-11, 290 pounds) rushed for 285 yards as part of San Fernando’s wishbone attack. He is the third San Fernando product in little more than a year to sign with Ohio. Former Tiger running backs Brian Brison and LaKarlos Townsend signed with the Bobcats, a Division I team, last year.

Staff writers Steve Elling, John Lynch and John Ortega contributed to this story.