By Sean Duncan

GLENVIEW ? Glenbrook South right-hander Luke Harrison is matter-of-fact about his curveball.

?I know my curveball has its good days and its bad days,? said Harrison, a 6-foot-4, 200-pounder who recently committed to Indiana University.

Thursday was a good day. A very good day.

As he?s done all season, Harrison delivered another complete-game gem, this time a three-hitter to defeat a swooning Niles West club, 2-1, in a Central Suburban South matchup.

Efficient and precise, Harrison struck out 11, walked none, yielded three hits and no earned runs to improve to 7-0 on the season. Harrison carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning after he struck out six of the first nine batters he faced.

?Today was a good day. In the bullpen, my curveball wasn?t working at all. Once I threw one and got a strikeout, I got more confident with it,? said Harrison, who has 67 strikeouts to eight walks this season.

Harrison?s sterling outing negated an impressive pitching performance by Niles West senior right-hander Kenny Blanchard (Knox College recruit), who also tossed a three-hit complete game at the No. 21-ranked Titans (21-6, 12-1), with 10 strikeouts and one walk.

Only problem was, two of the hits Blanchard allowed were home runs, both delivered by junior second baseman Mike Reinisch.  Reinisch staked Glenbrook South to a 1-0 in the second inning with a solo blast to left field, and he deposited the eventual game-winner in same vicinity in the fifth.

?I just got ahead and threw my hands,? said Reinisch, who has three home runs this season, all coming against Niles West. ?Our pitching has been lights-out these days.?

Niles West (18-10, 5-7) threatened in the sixth, pushing one run across on junior shortstop Kevin Ross?s single, but stranded two runners when Harrison induced a groundout to get out of the jam. Niles West, which opened the season 18-3, has now dropped seven straight games, four of which have been by two runs or less.

?It?s been tough,? said Niles West coach Gary Gustafson. ?We?ve lost some tough games. We just have to keep plugging away. Every team has their bumps on the road.?

For Glenbrook South, it?s been smooth sailing, particularly in the Central Suburban League. The junior-laden Titans are in position to claim its first Central Suburban South championship since the mid-1990s thanks to a stellar pitching staff, spearheaded by Harrison.

?Luke keeps the ball down, he locates his fastball anywhere he wants, and throws a lot of strikes,? said Glenbrook South coach Bob Rosinski.