BY MARK MAY
Edcouch-Elsa football has enjoyed many moments in the sun but it’s hard to imagine things shining brighter than in the early 2000s, when head coach Joe Solis took the team on an amazing run.
The Yellowjackets, also known as La Maquina Amarilla (The Yellow Machine), were nearly unbeatable, going on a string of 37 straight victories from 2003-07. That stretch included three straight campaigns in which the Yellowjackets engineered a perfect 10-0 regular season.
There were many big moments, but one that stands out for Solis was defeating Calallen for the first time in school history. Calallen has been a playoff nemesis for many Valley teams over the years.
“We beat them in the last minute,” Solis said of their regular season meeting in 2008. “Our tight end caught a pass in the end zone with time running out. To me that was one of the biggest games because, over and over again, Calallen would advance (in the playoffs) and E-E wouldn’t.”
Solis now stands on the cusp of induction into the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame. The 34th annual Induction Ceremony will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Brownsville Events Center.
He is one of eight inductees. This year’s group also includes Larry Caldwell of Mission (baseball/football), Tony Guerrero (football officiating), David Longhofer of Harlingen (football), Albert Ochoa of Edinburg (golf), Richard Thompson of Mission (sports administration), Gabriel Valdez of Weslaco (basketball) and Laura Vasquez of Edinburg (track & field). This year’s class will bring the Hall of Fame’s total membership to 280.
The Yellowjackets were an incredible 51-8 over one stretch and hoisted six consecutive district title banners. On three occasions, E-E advanced to at least the third round of the state playoffs.
Solis also produced memories for Lyford, his alma mater, from 1988-96. The Bulldogs were tri-champions in their Class 3A district in 1990 and won the title outright in 1991. They advanced to the third round of the playoffs, something Lyford fans had not seen since 1953. In those days, Lyford was often on the losing end of its annual game against Port Isabel but that changed in ‘91.
“Our kids went in there … played them and beat them 26-7,” Solis said. “We went 9-1 that season. It was a great feeling to go back in there (coaching my alma mater) and make them competitive.” He came to E-E in 1997 as an assistant coach and served as the ’Jackets’ head coach from 2003-12. He won 121 games as a head coach and has seen approximately 15 of his players go on to play at the collegiate level.
Solis focused on more than just producing outstanding football players. He wanted outstanding students and citizens. Each Christmas, he purchased toys for his players to give out to under-privileged boys and girls in their community so his athletes would always remember to help others.
“I feel honored that I was successful enough to be selected as an inductee among all these great coaches and players,” Solis said. “It’s one of the highlights of my life.”
For ticket information for this year’s event, visit the RGV Sports Hall of Fame website at www.rgvshof.net.
Founded in 1985, the RGV Sports Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit organization whose mission it is to recognize men and women who have brought honor and recognition to the Rio Grande Valley through their participation in sports as an athlete, coach, official, trainer, journalist or other sports-related position. The RGV Sports Hall of Fame collects, preserves and exhibits memorabilia and statistical data of Rio Grande Valley sports for historical preservation, database collection and enjoyment. Some memorabilia is housed at Doubleday’s Bar and Grill in Port Isabel.
