ST. REGIS — The last time the Seeley-Swan Blackhawks finished their football season with a winning record, most of their current players weren't alive yet. 

The 'Hawks enjoyed a 5-4 record in the 2007 season, right as the first-generation iPhones hit the shelves. It's been what feels like a lifetime for Seeley, but second-year head coach Jacob Haley has his team undefeated after five weeks.

A winning record is guaranteed.

"They've just been hungry," Haley said. "They wanted to chase playoffs, they wanted to obtain something."

"The previous years have fueled this team."

In a 40-18 win on the road against the St. Regis-Mullan Tigers on a Saturday afternoon that offered no escape from the sun, Seeley-Swan relied on punch-you-in-the-mouth physicality and running the ball with force. Junior halfback Kolten Zurmuehlen rushed for three touchdowns.

While Haley's opening season at the helm for the Blackhawks wasn't close to .500, a 3-6 campaign, it still matched the program's highest win total since 2020. Senior Zach Best has seen the culture change Haley has provided, emphasizing his approach to the weight room and offseason training.

"He's put it up to us, the players, to get going and get our team going," Best said.

After another offseason of weights, conditioning and training, the opening two games of the 2024 season were a positive sign for what was to come: two wins, coming against Charlo and Victor with a combined score of 118-6. It was clear something was different about this squad.

Haley credits the upperclassmen for the turnaround, citing their experience and having, "been through it all."

Best and his fellow seniors entered their last year at Seeley-Swan with a career record of 7-18. This year's motto, "The time is now," is a call to send the soon-to-be graduates out the right way.

"We put a lot of hard work in this offseason, and it's starting to pay off," Haley said. "The guys are realizing that and they're hungry for more."

When asked what his senior year's success means to him, Best was at a loss for words. Maybe it was the sweltering conditions, or maybe it was the pride in seeing his hard work pay off.

"We've been trying to get the younger kids to flip the switch," Best said. "We haven't really had that good of games before my senior year. We've just been putting in a lot of work."

The team has seen the community in Seeley Lake buy into the program, too. Best said the amount of fans at games have, "multiplied," adding that the amount of fans at St. Regis, 124 miles from home, exceeded the normal home attendance in years prior.

"Winning has that way of getting the community involved, getting the guys to believe," Haley said. "Winning has a way of changing the culture. We knew it would take a lot."

After an opening-drive fumble, Seeley-Swan's offense found its rhythm, wearing down St. Regis-Mullan with 5- and 6-yard rushes all the way down the field for most of the game. Led by running backs Zurmuehlen and senior Seth Dunster, the Blackhawks jumped out to a 28-6 lead at halftime.

"Seeley was as physical as we thought they would be, and maybe a little bit more," St. Regis/Mullan head coach Jesse Allan said.

"We've seen them at camp every year and they've looked really good. They've been building it."

The Tigers fought to stay in the game in the third quarter, drawing within 10 at one point, but the Blackhawks had enough answers on offense to prevent any real threat. Haley said he was proud of the way his team fought through the heat, one of the biggest tests of the game.

"We're used to playing at 7 o'clock kickoffs," Haley said. "These guys are pretty damn tired. I don't really know if they won, they're not acting like they won."

Next week, Seeley-Swan faces its toughest test of the season yet: undefeated Valley Christian. Playing in games of that magnitude is new to this team, but the group is trying its best to not let the moment get too big.

"It's uncharted territory," Haley said. "We haven't been in this position in a long time. We take it week by week, focus on every team."