Gavin Cornforth had a good idea of what he was up against when he left Thayer Academy at age 15 in 2022 to play for the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints.
“The coaches told me, ‘You’re probably only going to get 30 to 40 games this season and it’s going to be really tough for you, mentally and physically,’ ” said Cornforth (Milton, Mass.), a 5-foot-9 right wing.
Sure enough, that rookie season was a grind. He finished with four goals and 10 points in 49 games, not the kind of stats he was accustomed to after averaging more than a point per game as a freshman at Thayer.
“I didn’t play a ton,” he said. “Didn’t get a ton of points. Didn’t get a ton of ice time, but it definitely taught me how to live like a pro — that’s what the coaches call it. That first year was a big learning curve but very good for my development.”
Fast forward to 2024-25 — Cornforth’s third season – and without question, he is a USHL success story.
