photo by: DAVID RODISH/Journal-World

Lawrence sophomores Zoey Barber, right, and Lucy Juelsgaard high-five after a Barber Free throw in a 75-72 loss to Topeka High in the Capital City Classic on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Topeka.

Zoey Barber remembers checking into Lawrence’s substate loss to Olathe West as a freshman last year and feeling the pressure.

Barber at that time was a bench player, coming in for a few spurts of defensive disruption. Her teammate and fellow freshman, Lucy Juelsgaard, made a mark on the team as high-energy players to cause chaos in reserve roles.

This year, Barber and Juelsgaard are more than just bench players. Juelsgaard is a starting guard, while Barber is the first guard off the bench, and both are primary ball handlers when they’re on the court. As the playoffs loom closer for the Lions, their continued development on both ends of the court remains a boost for the team.

“Both of us have really poppy personalities,” Juelsgaard said. “We bring the energy, we think energy needs to be there. I feel like that’s where we come in. I think people rely on us for energy. Not saying that people don’t have energy, but definitely they’re expecting it from us.”

Barber likened her partnership with Juelsgaard to a yin and yang, but the two are more like twins. Juelsgaard was born a day before Barber, but both were born in the same hospital with the same doctor on the same floor. They have similar playing styles and personalities. Barber says she has a connection with everyone on the team, but with Juelsgaard it’s special.

As people, they’re lively, and they bring the energy to the locker room. On the court, they’re pass-first guards who play as hard as anyone in the state. That effort got both of them time on the court, and as they’ve grown more comfortable playing, both Barber and Juelsgaard have continued to make more plays.

“They’re super defensive threats,” Lawrence assistant coach Olivia Lemus said. “They just come out and bring a lot of energy. They’re fast, they throw their bodies on the line for us, and it’s really exciting to see that offensive side starting to come more with them. They’re starting to see those passes and those lanes that they can drive.”

Lemus said it’s hard to play good defense. It’s even harder to be a two-way player and leave an impact on the court no matter the situation. But Barber and Juelsgaard have developed the skill to do exactly that.

There’s a balance Barber and Juelsgaard try to strike on the court. They play with a reckless abandon on defense, throwing their bodies around for loose balls. But on offense, the two have to slow things down and pick defenses apart.

“As a freshman, I was just rushing everything,” Barber said. “Now as a sophomore, I’ve learned my lesson and I’m slowing down. I’m watching everybody on the court. In the beginning of the season, I was still struggling with that, but I’ve been training and working on myself to really slow down.”

Barber and Juelsgaard have a good sense of what’s happening with the team in each game. Juelsgaard looks for mismatches in length when she has the ball. It helps having teammates like Nauholz and sophomore Macyn Ramsay, who are 6-foot-1 and 5-foot-10, respectively, as they have the skill, athleticism and length to beat most defenders. Barber said she gets a feel of who is hot and needs to get the ball more, and both are capable of finding open teammates.

The two have leaned into their roles as point guards setting up their teammates. The Lions overall have a selfless team that prides itself on moving the ball around, and Barber and Juelsgaard are a prime example of that ball movement.

“I love it when I’m able to pass to someone and they score because then we get to point at each other,” Juelsgaard said. “We have shooters on our team, we have everything. Being able to pass and make the play is rewarding.”

Barber and Juelsgaard are two of the shortest players on the team. Barber’s listed height is 5-foot-0, and Juelsgaard is listed at 5-foot-4. While that may limit their post-up capabilities, both guards have turned their height into fuel for how they play.

“Since I was little, I knew I was going to have to work a lot harder than someone that is 6-foot-1 because of my height,” Barber said. “Knowing that, I had to change my mindset. I had to look for opportunities for them so I could get my opportunity.”

With one regular season game left on the schedule on Friday, the Lions hold a 12-10 record, including a 6-6 record within the Sunflower League. The Lions have high playoff hopes, and that means playing and beating great teams. To do that, the Lions need Barber and Juelsgaard to do what they do best: bring the energy.

“It’s as important as any other game, but the energy needs to be there,” Juelsgaard said. “The intensity, the mindset really needs to be there. If we have that, we’ll be good. With the playoffs, everyone is going to be intense, and it’ll be a home game. So no matter what, the energy needs to be there.”

Barber and Juelsgaard are excited for the playoffs. Both know how important their energy will be for the team, and both are ready to lay it on the line for their teammates.

“I’m more excited than I was last year,” Juelsgaard said. “Our record speaks a lot. The team that’s been brought into this season is completely different, and we’re really playing as a family now. We’re playing for each and every one of us to shoot and score.”