Shore student’s girl group in ‘X Factor’ Top 12

Fox's X Factor whittled down to a dozen acts Tuesday night, and a high school senior from the Shore has a shot to win a share of the $5 million top prize.

Not to mention the super-sized boost toward stardom that comes from such mega-exposure on TV.

She's Cari Fletcher, 17, of Wall Township, between Point Pleasant and Asbury Park, and one of four young women in Lakoda Rayne, a group created from promising - and strikingly attractive - solo performers.

The others are Dani Knights, 22, of Santa Clarita, Calif.; Paige Ogle, 18, of Baltimore; and Hayley Orrantia, 17, of Highland Village, Texas.

After these four strangers got cut individually, judge Simon Cowell called them back and - surprise! - they'd get a second chance together, working in the groups category under the tutelage of judge Paula Abdul.

The well-spoken Fletcher explained the name on a video on the show's website (www.thexfactorusa.com). Lakoda means "friendship, unity and allies" - "we thought that perfectly described our situation" - while Rayne simply varies the spelling of rain, which means "blessings from above," she explained.

She also said, "If I could re enter the competitor, you know, start it again, I would enter it with them."

"I love you," said Knights, a waitress, prompting laughter.

Last week, viewers saw them excel performing "Born This Way" for Abdul, who backed them to continue.

Video clips last night showed the four struggling to get in sync in rehearsals, but their live performance had even the usually caustic Simon Cowell biting his tongue to lavish praise on what Abdul helped create.

Judge L.A. Reid gushed, declaring if he saw a performance like that in his office, he'd sign them to "a worldwide recording contract."

Abdul again passed Lakoda Rayne through, to join three other groups, four males and four females under 30, and four singers over 30, in the Final 12.

The lineup also includes three other Jersey girls - Emily Michalak, 13, of Pine Brook, Morris County, and Austin Percario, 15, and Emily Wilson, 15, both of Warren, Somerset County - all members of another judge- created group called InTENsity.

Here are the rest of the Final 12 acts, which will perform live again at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, to win the votes of viewers:

Melanie Amaro,19, Coral Springs, Fla.

Rachel Crow, 13, Burbank, Calif.

Drew Ryniewicz, 14, Chino Valley, Ariz.

Brian Bradley (Astro), 15, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Marcus Canty, 20, Bowie, Md.

Chris Rene, 28, Santa Cruz, Calif.

LeRoy Bell, 60, Edmonds, Wash.

Stacy Francis, 42, Los Angeles, Calif.

Josh Krajcik, 30, Columbus, Ohio.

InTENsity (Nick Dean, 15, Rochester, N.Y.; Francesca Duncan, 17, Brockport, N.Y.; John Lindahl, 15, Travuco Canyon, Calif.; Arin Ray, 16, Cincinnati, Ohio; Lauren Ashley Redmond, 17, DeSoto, Texas; Ellona Santiago, 15, San Lorenzo, Calif.; Ma'at Bingham Shango, 12, Houston, Texas.)

The Stereo Hogzz (Kregg Gibson, 25; Jonathan Glenn, 25; George Jenkins III, 25; Leeland Stephenson, 24; Justin Williams, 25, all of Houston, Texas.)