Saturday marked the first day of spring practice at a location other than the typical stomping grounds in Corvallis as the Beavers took the field at newly built Mountainside High school.

“It’s good for our team to play in a different environment,” head coach Johnathan Smith said. “We’re going to be doing that in the fall and have to win a game, and so, putting guys in a different environment is good for them.”

The location served as a great meeting spot for fans in Portland and is just an hour and a half from Corvallis. The newly opened high school provided freshly installed turf and a brand-new set of bleachers, which were filled almost to capacity.

“Really happy with the turnout,” Smith said. “I thought the turnout was awesome, the energy was good and it’s a beautiful setup here.”

Both Beaver fans and players seemed to integrate nicely with the new location and both were playing and cheering like they were right at home in Reser Stadium.