{"id":270618,"date":"2026-08-23T09:48:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T09:48:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/270618\/"},"modified":"2026-08-23T09:48:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T09:48:11","slug":"featured-performers-ready-to-sparkle-and-shine-under-friday-night-lights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/270618\/","title":{"rendered":"Featured performers ready to sparkle and shine under Friday night lights"},"content":{"rendered":"

SCRANTON \u2014 Little girls in Lackawanna County dream of sparkling under Friday night lights as featured performers.<\/p>\n

Miss Buck, Miss Chief, Miss Viking and others say they are fulfilling a childhood dream. It is a long tradition seldom found in other high schools in the region or elsewhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is definitely not the standard nor the norm,\u201d said Justin McAdams, CEO of Cavalcade of Bands, a marching band competition organization. It is more common among traditional college bands, such as Penn State, he said via email.<\/p>\n

Riley McHale, Miss Buck of Dunmore Junior-Senior High School, remembers watching from the sidelines. \u201cAnd I thought it was so cool that you get to wear such a sparkly uniform, you get to lead the band and you kind of just represent all of Dunmore. And I feel like it\u2019s a pretty big deal for Dunmore.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a big deal in Scranton too, where both Scranton and West Scranton high schools have featured performers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s history,\u201d said John Coyle, Scranton High School principal. \u201cIt\u2019s something that has been around for a long time and I think it builds school spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Abington<\/p>\n

Abington Heights senior Kara Rillstone has her Miss Comet costume fitted by Rosie Wolfgang, owner of All Your Sewing Needs at Wolfgang\u2019s studio in Moscow Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"Abington<\/p>\n

Abington Heights senior Kara Rillstone is fitted for her Miss Comet costume at All Your Sewing Needs in Moscow Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"Abington<\/p>\n

Abington Heights senior Kara Rillstone has her Miss Comet costume fitted by Rosie Wolfgang, owner of All Your Sewing Needs at Wolfgang\u2019s studio in Moscow Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"Abington<\/p>\n

Abington Heights senior Kara Rillstone is fitted for her Miss Comet costume at All Your Sewing Needs in Moscow Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"Abington<\/p>\n

Abington Heights senior Kara Rillstone has her Miss Comet costume fitted by Rosie Wolfgang, owner of All Your Sewing Needs at Wolfgang\u2019s studio in Moscow Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"Abington<\/p>\n

Abington Heights senior Kara Rillstone has her Miss Comet costume fitted by Rosie Wolfgang, owner of All Your Sewing Needs at Wolfgang\u2019s studio in Moscow Tuesday, July 28, 2026. She has made many costumes for several schools and says they are \u201cher pride and joy.\u201d(SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 6<\/p>\n

Abington Heights senior Kara Rillstone has her Miss Comet costume fitted by Rosie Wolfgang, owner of All Your Sewing Needs at Wolfgang\u2019s studio in Moscow Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

Nine public high schools in the county have a featured performer. At the moment, there is no Miss or Mr. at Forest City, Carbondale, North Pocono or Lackawanna Trail. There are none at the private schools.<\/p>\n

Why Lackawanna County? It may be in part thanks to a few longtime private twirling schools that keep it alive.<\/p>\n

Not all featured performers are twirlers. Some are cheerleaders who dance with pom poms instead of batons and will spend part of games cheering on the sidelines.<\/p>\n

Boys rarely fill the role.<\/p>\n

Performers design and almost always pay for new costumes each year, although a few schools maintain headpieces or accessories. Most costumes are custom-made by local dressmakers with costs up to $4,000 this year. Even returning performers usually get a new look. Costumes are tucked away as keepsakes and displayed at graduation parties.<\/p>\n

Angelina Wagner, from West Scranton, studied other costumes and incorporated as much blue as possible, since it is her favorite color. Scranton High School\u2019s Miss Knight created a faux-pearl accented costume with fringe designed to emphasize movement.<\/p>\n

After the auditions \u2014 performing before panels of judges or even the whole school, sometimes writing essays or chasing teacher recommendations \u2014 some schools celebrate with rituals. At Riverside, it is called the \u201cpassing of the sword.\u201d Miss or Mr. Viking is presented with a headpiece that is not worn, but stays in their custody until they pass it to their successor.<\/p>\n

Meet the featured performers<\/p>\n

The featured performers of Lackawanna County high schools are about to hit the field, twirling fire, shimmering in thousands of dollars\u2019 worth of sparkle and adding service projects to their roles.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s squad includes returning performers at Abington Heights and Valley View, a volunteer firefighter as Miss Chief, a basketball player in the role at Scranton High School and a young performer at Mid Valley.<\/p>\n

\"AbingtonAbington Heights\u2019 Kara Rillstone as Miss Comet
\nKara Rillstone is Miss Comet of Abington Heights High School<\/p>\n

Senior Kara Rillstone of Ransom Twp. returns as Miss Comet for Abington Heights High School, which required another round of auditions.<\/p>\n

Her first season went well. \u201cI honestly think it was better than I expected,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She enjoyed adding twirling fire to her repertoire, though \u201cIt was actually very scary at first because I had a fear that it was going to burn me, but it never really did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rillstone hopes to again organize other performers for service projects.<\/p>\n

\"Dunmore'sDunmore\u2019s Riley McHale as Miss Buck.
\nRiley McHale is Miss Buck of Dunmore Junior-Senior High School<\/p>\n

In Dunmore, Riley McHale is the first cheerleader, rather than twirler, to be Miss Buck. \u201cI\u2019m honored,\u201d she said. She will cheer from the sidelines, then make a few changes to her costume to lead the band onto the field.<\/p>\n

She looked through old yearbooks for costume inspiration, but then went her own way. \u201cI didn\u2019t want it to look like any other ones,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

It cost around $3,000. She thanks her parents. \u201cI\u2019m grateful that they were willing to spend that because this is once-in-a-lifetime. You only get to be Miss Buck once. So, I\u2019m happy that they were willing to spend that money on me to get my dream uniform.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lakeland'sLakeland\u2019s Ella Carrighan as Miss Chief. Her mother placed 4,000 rhinestones on her boots.
\nElla Carrighan is Miss Chief of Lakeland Junior-Senior High School<\/p>\n

Senior Ella Carrighan, Miss Chief of Lakeland, is a volunteer firefighter.<\/p>\n

She started dreaming of the featured performer role when she went to her first football game in second grade. \u201cI turned to my mother and said, \u2018I want to be her.\u201d<\/p>\n

She\u2019s been on the drill team for several years, performing with pom poms, flags, batons and hoops.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted to be out on that field showing school pride. And it\u2019s not just a costume,\u201d she said. \u201cMiss Chief is a role model for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MidMid Valley\u2019s Rachel Mosher as Miss Spartan
\nRachel Mosher is Miss Spartan of Mid Valley<\/p>\n

Miss or Mr. Spartan is usually an upperclassman. This year it is sophomore Rachel Mosher of Olyphant, who is 15 but in her ninth year of twirling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to be Miss Spartan because I wanted to be able to represent the school, and to me Miss Spartan is more than just a title,\u201d Mosher said. \u201cI wanted to be someone that people look to as a role model and as a leader and I also want to represent my school.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turns to the Biblical book of Proverbs for an ideal to strive for: \u201cShe is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

The school is supplying a new helmet. She spent a frugal $230 on her costume with an online vendor.<\/p>\n

\"OldOld Forge\u2019s Isabella Orr as Miss Devilette.
\nIsabella Orr is Miss Devilette of Old Forge<\/p>\n

Isabella Orr is also a cheerleader and Miss Devilette. She will continue to cheer on the sidelines when not leading performers onto the field with the \u201cpitchfork strut.\u201d A teacher made the trademark pitchfork frame out of wood and her designer put on the cover.<\/p>\n

She set her sights on Miss Devilette when she joined the marching unit in eighth grade. She is now a junior and a little surprised she got her wish.<\/p>\n

She can twirl two fire batons at once. \u201cIt\u2019s so fun to perform in front of the crowd on Friday nights. And I definitely wanted to represent the town of Old Forge and make them proud,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Riverside'sRiverside\u2019s Madyson Owens as Miss Viking.
\nMadyson Owens is Miss Viking of Riverside<\/p>\n

Madyson Owens\u2019 father was a former Riverside Viking football player. \u201cI\u2019m not even kidding, the day she was born, her dad told her that she was going to be Miss Viking someday,\u201d said her mother, Kim Owens. \u201cAnd even as a little girl, he would take her to the football games, the two of them, she\u2019d be in a stroller with her little Viking bows and her Viking onesies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dennis Owens Jr. died of colon cancer when Madyson was 4.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really wanted to be Miss Viking because I just always looked up to the Miss Vikings,\u201d Madyson said. \u201cBut on a deeper note, it was my father\u2019s dream for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Owens family raises money for cancer causes and scholarships and she wants to bring that to her role on the field.<\/p>\n

The Sept. 4 football home game is the My Awareness Game. She invited cheerleaders, the band and the team to create informational displays for their own causes and collect donations alongside her colon cancer display.<\/p>\n

Costumes cost thousands of dollars, but each Miss Viking gets a $500 donation from the Coleman family.<\/p>\n

\"Scranton'sScranton\u2019s Abigail Stalica as Miss Knight.
\nAbigail Stalica is Miss Knight of Scranton High School<\/p>\n

Scranton High School\u2019s Miss Knight is basketball player and cheerleader Abigail Stalica, who is in her senior year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very excited,\u201d Stalica said. \u201cIt\u2019s my last one with my friends, so I\u2019m just trying to enjoy every moment of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qualifying to audition for Miss Knight requires years as a performer, creating a binder full of ideas and making up a dance routine for a panel of judges.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to be Miss Knight from pretty young, when I started cheer. I just really like the role that it takes on and the leadership, and just being like a good mentor, because I always had good mentors in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ValleyValley View\u2019s Heather Davis as Miss Cougar, returns for a second year.
\nHeather Davis is Miss Cougar of Valley View<\/p>\n

Junior Heather Davis, of Peckville, is Valley View\u2019s Miss Cougar for a second year. Her mother was a twirler, inspiring her to begin five years ago. She has prepared four twirling routines, including juggling three batons at once and using two flags and knives for another song.<\/p>\n

\"AngelinaAngelina Wagner as Miss Invader of West Scranton High School. (COURTESY OF ANGELINA WAGNER)
\nAngelina Wagner is Miss Invader of West Scranton<\/p>\n

Cheerleader Angelina Wagner, a senior, is Miss Invader of West Scranton. She will continue to cheer from the sidelines as well as perform on the field and hopes to boost cheerleaders\u2019 role on the field. \u201cI\u2019m very excited.\u201d She\u2019s pushing herself out of her comfort zone to perform on the field.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SCRANTON \u2014 Little girls in Lackawanna County dream of sparkling under Friday night lights as featured performers. Miss…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":270619,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[1993,114058,2136,1681,201,182,7376,62209,16790,28,231,178,180,179,289],"class_list":["post-270618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-scranton","tag-clarks-summit","tag-delano-township","tag-dunmore","tag-entertainment","tag-lackawanna-county","tag-local-news","tag-moscow","tag-north-abington-township","tag-old-forge","tag-pennsylvania","tag-schuylkill-county","tag-scranton","tag-scranton-headlines","tag-scranton-news","tag-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/270618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=270618"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/270618\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/270619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=270618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=270618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=270618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}