The last several seasons, Forest Park High girls basketball has been regularly regarded as one of the area’s top programs. But the Foresters haven’t been able to join Baltimore City bluebloods Poly and Western in the elite category.

Friday, No. 10 Forest Park took a small step into possibly breaking into that hierachy, knocking off ninth-ranked Western, 47-40, in front of an energetic audience in Northwest Baltimore.

The Foresters used a 15-0 fourth quarter run to get their landmark first victory over the defending city and Class 4A state champion Doves. Mckenzie Fitzgerald finished with a game-high 15 points to go with four rebounds and three steals.

“This means it’s a new us,” Fitzgerald said of the win. “It shows that we’re not just the best of the worst.”

Western overwhelmed the Foresters, 72-30, on their home court a year ago.

It was a 360-degree turnaround Friday for Forest Park, which improved to 4-0 in the early season.

“This is gonna change the culture. This is one of those signature wins that I keep telling people we need,” Forest Park ninth-year coach Jermaine Dunn said. “I said I didn’t want to be the best of the worst anymore.”

The Foresters trailed 36-25 in the fourth quarter, but went on a 15-0 surge to claim the lead for good. It was sparked by Fitzgerald, a freshman guard who entered early in the fourth after sitting with foul trouble for the most of the third.

Western (2-2) trailed at halftime, 17-15, before guard Jaden Hunt and senior Breasia Colt took over. Colt, a 6-foot-3 senior, started imposing her will in the blocks while Hunt added a couple of transition scores in a 21-8 third quarter run.

The Doves struggled with turnovers in the fourth, and Coit, who finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, fouled out.

Western managed just two field goals in the fourth.

“It wasn’t the outcome we were looking for, but a lot of things weren’t in place that we were looking for,” said Western coach Tasha Townsend. “The tide shifted. We were battling, both teams were in the bonus. One team just got to the line a little more than the other one during that little spark.”

Tensions flared late in the fourth when Fitzgerald and Western’s Michaela Hammonds got tied up near the halfcourt line. Officials broke the two up, but it appeared a few spectators were about to run onto the court.

In a game that was chippy at times, Townsend pulled her team from the court with 1:59 left in regulation. School officials removed all spectators from the gym and the game was finished.

Townsend said she was going to forfeit because she felt the environment was unsafe for her team.

“It’s safety over everything for me. I originally wanted to forfeit because one of the parents came at my kids… It’s about the safety of the kids, so I don’t care about a game,” said Townsend. “Some people care more about a game. I don’t care about that; it’s bigger than basketball for me.”

Aliyah Carroll finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals for Forest Park, which next plays against City Tuesday.

“They’re not going to take us seriously until we beat a good team… I told [my team] ‘it’s time for us to take the next step if they’re going to consider us one of the top teams in Baltimore,” said Dunn.

NO. 10 FOREST PARK 47, NO. 9 WESTERN 40

Forest Park 10 7 8 22 — 47

Western 5 10 21 4 — 40

Western: Colt 14, Hunt 14, Hammonds 10, Iyanna Bell 2. Totals 13 9-18 40.

Forest Park: Fitzgerald 15, Carroll 10, Darryn Hough 7, Chaniya Taylor 7, NaJae Malik-El 5, Aniya Bumbray 3. Totals 17 11-26 47.