Voice Of The Panthers
Ronnie Pannell Jim Lancaster
Veteran sportscaster Ronnie Pannell is in his 18th season as the voice of the Mars Hill Panthers. Pannell began broadcasting the Panthers and Lady Panthers games in 1989, and has now covered more than 850 boys and girls games. During this stretch, Mars Hill teams have claimed 15 Area championships, 4 State championships and 3 Runner-up finishes.
"You can get into the game for free and they have food in the press box!" That was the invitation which brought Ronnie to radio work in September of 1983. Pannell, a 1978 graduate of the University of North Alabama, began with the UNA Sports network. He worked alongside longtime friend Greg Thornton for 6 years (1983 -1989) covering UNA football, basketball and baseball. That coverage included broadcast of the 1985 NCAA Division II Championship Football game from McAllen, Texas. When the Championship game was moved to Florence, Alabama in 1986, Pannell assisted the ESPN announcers covering the game and for four years served as the player host for the annual Harlon Hill Trophy award. Ronnie also broadcast Bradshaw High School sporting events for four seasons (1986 -1989), the Shoals Area Football Game of The Week (1996 -1998) and numerous State Tournaments and playoff games.
Pannell is a 1971 graduate of Coffee High School in Florence, lettering in both football and baseball. He currently teaches and coaches at Mars Hill Bible School.
Jim Lancaster is a 1972 graduate of Bradshaw High school and a 1977 graduate of the University of North Alabama. He has been broadcasting local high school sports since August of 1990 with what was then called the "High School Game of the Week". It pitted local rivalries on a weekly basis with different teams from Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin and Lawrence counties. Between 1990 and 2006 he's broadcast over 150 high school football games including over 50 playoff games and 12 state championship games.
Jim began broadcasting the Mars Hill boys and girls basketball games in November of 1990 along side of Ronnie Pannell. In all he has broadcast over 750 basketball games with Ronnie, including 3 State championships, 14 Area championships, 3 Runner-up finishes as well as several State baseball playoff and State Championship games.
Jim says it is a pleasure to work with such an experienced broadcaster as Ronnie Pannell. He presents the game in a professional and colorful manner and keeps up with more statistics than you can imagine!
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