Lafayette

Housing authority police officers made 10 arrests in a sweep yesterday of 109 vacant units at Baltimore's Lafayette Courts public housing development in a crackdown aimed at ridding the complex of drug traffickers.In one apartment, police found evidence of a drug "shooting gallery." A refrigerator had been moved from the kitchen to the living room, where it was turned on its side and used as a table. On top were used syringes, bottle caps and soda cans that had been split in half, apparently to be used to prepare drugs for injection.

For 24 years Carolyn Christian lived in the Lafayette Courts public housing project on the eastern edge of downtown Baltimore. Like hundreds of other families, Christian and her three grandchildren were forced to move from the complex two years ago when the high-rise towers were demolished.Christian returned to the New Lafayette Courts yesterday morning with a group of other prospective homeowners for a first look at a nearly finished townhouse at the redeveloped community. By noon, she had made a $740 deposit on a townhouse, applied for a mortgage and signed a sales contract.

EASTON, Pa. - In its Patriot League debut, the Navy lacrosse team crushed Lafayette in both teams' season and league opener Saturday, as the Mids topped the Leopards, 14-1, at Rappolt Field in Easton, Pa. Navy's 14 goals marked the largest scoring output by the Mids since their 16-2 victory over St. Joseph's in the 2002 season opener. Sophomore attack Ian Dingman led Navy with five goals. Junior Seth DiNola and sophomore Matt Russell split time in the cage for the Mids. DiNola started the game and recorded three saves on the four shots he faced.

Prospective residents of the New Lafayette Courts will get their first peek at the units today during an open house.The goal is to sell 27 townhouses to low- and moderate-income families. About 40 buyers are expected to show up at 9 a.m. to vie for the homes.City housing officials hope to move in the first families by the end of next month.The New Lafayette Courts replaces Lafayette Courts, Baltimore's first public housing project to be demolished as part of the city's plan to replace dangerous high-rises with more humane low-rise communities.

In place of the old, unsightly Lafayette Courts housing project in East Baltimore has risen a townhouse development, and with that new look comes a new name: Pleasant View Gardens.City Housing Commissioner Daniel P. Henson III unveiled the new name yesterday at his monthly news conference.Linda Love, the development's tenant association president, said a long-distance view of the new houses -- with the city skyline in the background -- inspired a resident to come up with the new name.The housing authority board, Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke and Henson approved the new moniker.

COLLEGE PARK -- Lafayette's dream season ended in a nightmare yesterday as the top-ranked Maryland field hockey team defeated the Leopards, 6-0, in the first round of the NCAA tournament.The up-tempo play of the Terps (21-1) was too much for Lafayette, which won a school-record 19 games this season. The Leopards (19-2) were outshot 27-2.Maryland will play No. 7 Old Dominion at 2 p.m. today at Artificial Turf Facility. Old Dominion, a 3-0 winner over Virginia yesterday, is the only team to beat Maryland this year, in the Terps' third game of the season, 5-3."

COLLEGE PARK -- Before the Maryland Terrapins could pack for their trip to Honolulu and the coming Rainbow Classic, they had to attend to another matter: putting away Lafayette. And coach Gary Williams made sure they didn't fold.Maryland, which climbed to No. 21 in this week's national rankings, avoided the kind of second-half letdown that surfaced in Saturday's seven-point win over American, riding its superior talent to a 108-67 victory before 11,482 at Cole Field House.Five Maryland players scored in double figures, led by senior forward Keith Booth with 28 points and 11 rebounds.

The big match turned out to be a mismatch. Navy's basketball team meant business last night in a big game, immediately seizing the initiative and never letting go to oust Lafayette from the Patriot League lead with a rousing, 94-66 victory before 3,871 roaring fans at Alumni Hall. "This team was really wanting this game," said Navy coach Don DeVoe. "It was just an impressive win. It's only 1/27th of the season, but it was a big 1/27th. Had we not won, the race for the No. 1 seed was essentially over."

EASTON, Pa. -- History does not augur well for Navy. The host team has won the Patriot League men's basketball title in every season except the first since the final game shifted to the home court of the higher seed in 1993. Today, the Midshipmen strive to break that stranglehold at Lafayette College's Allan P. Kirby Center. Although both teams finished 11-1 during the regular season -- each spliting a game in their individual series -- and survived their early round tournament games, Lafayette received the home advantage by virtue of finishing with a better Rating Percentage Index than Navy.

EASTON, Pa. -- History does not augur well for Navy. The host team has won the Patriot League men's basketball title in every season except the first since the final game shifted to the home court of the higher seed in 1993. Today, the Midshipmen strive to break that stranglehold at Lafayette College's Allan P. Kirby Center. Although both teams finished 11-1 during the regular season -- each spliting a game in their individual series -- and survived their early round tournament games, Lafayette received the home advantage by virtue of finishing with a better Rating Percentage Index than Navy.