Voice Of The Panthers
Ronnie Pannell Jim Lancaster
A Thousand Thank Yous!
"Thanks to all Mars Hill basketball fans for making this 20-year journey so enjoyable. I never would have thought, 20 years ago, that I would broadcast 1000 Mars Hill basketball games. Great fun, great memories, great people I've met, and unforgettable ball games are just part of this experience." -Ronnie Pannell
Ronnie Pannell is in his 21st
season as the “Voice of the Mars Hill Panthers”. Pannell began broadcasting
the Panther and Lady Panther games in 1989 and with the exception of one season,
Pannell has announced Mars Hill games each year. He has now covered 975 boys and
girls games. During this stretch, Mars Hill teams have claimed 18 Area
Championships, 4 State Championships and 3 State Runner-up finishes. Pannell and
his radio partner, Jim Lancaster, have worked nearly 900 Mars Hill
basketball games together along with a number of Panther baseball playoff
games.
“You can get into the game for free and they have food in the press box.”
That was the invitation, which brought Ronnie Pannell to radio work in September
of 1983. Pannell, a 1978 graduate of the University of North Alabama, began to
work with the UNA Sports Network on WVNA Radio Station (Tuscumbia). Pannell
worked along side of long time friend Greg Thornton for 6 years (1983-1989)
covering UNA football, basketball and baseball. Pannell and Thornton teamed up
to cover the Lions throughout the Gulf South Conference action and in 1985 they
provided local listeners with coverage of the Division II National Championship
football game from McAllen, Texas. When the Championship game was moved to
Florence in 1986, Pannell assisted the ESPN TV announcers in covering the game
and for 4 years served as the player host for the annual Harlon Hill Trophy
award.
Ronnie Pannell is a 1971 graduate of Coffee High School in Florence, Alabama
lettering in both football and baseball.
Pannell is married to the former Kathy Joy Mitchell of Florence. They are
the parents of three sons: Jon (31; married to Ana Fuller Pannell), Will
(deceased) and Jeffrey (27). His parents are Dene & Nell Pannell of
Florence.
Pannell 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 2008 he's broadcast over 150 high school 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 well over 800 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!
Tune in all the Panthers games right here on the Talk of North Alabama!
Listen to the Mars Hill Panthers broadcasts right here on the Talk of North Alabama, NewsTalk 97 & 1240 WBCF
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