The number 13 doesn’t sound scary to Rick Potter, one of the swim team’s community coaches.  In fact, he is hoping it is their lucky number.

Around 5 p.m. today, the Panthers will jump into the pool against McIntosh and Whitewater to defend their title — all 12 of them — at the county swim meet at the Steve Lundquist Aquatic Center  in Clayton County.

As part of their preparation, Potter said he and the other coaches looked at their swimmers’  times from previous meets and compared them to the scores of McIntosh and Whitewater, who will be swimming neck and neck with Starr’s Mill for the coveted county title.

“Our swimmers are really good this year, but it will be a very close meet,”  Potter said.

“The competition will be fierce but hopefully Starr’s Mill will come out with a win,” said sophomore John Michael Hall, one of the four members of the 200 medley relay team who set a school record of 1.49.09 at their last meet Jan. 12, where they finished third.  If the Panthers win at county, they will qualify for state for the 13th year in a row.