NEW YORK, Nov. 19--Varsity ace Pete Reider turned in one of the most impressive Crimson cross country performances in recent years as he finished 17th in a field of 350 runners in the 49th annual IC4A Championships at Van Cortlandt Park here this afternoon.

Despite Reider's effort, the varsity finished a disappointing 12th, as Michigan State romped to victory. Dave Norris, the second Crimson finisher, placed 35th; Jim Schlaeppi, 89th; Dyke Benjamin, 104th, and Dick Wharton 137th.

The varsity's total score of 350 points was 316 behind the Spartans' 34 points, and 45 behind the eleventh team, Army.

The powerful Spartans, Big Ten and defending N.C.A.A. titlists, exhibited a scoring punch which gained them first, fourth, fifth, eleventh, and thirteenth places in the scoring. Their total was 114 points less than that of runner-up St. Joseph's of Philadelphia. Penn State finished third with 158, while Notre Dame placed fourth with 201.

The first Ivy finisher, Cornell, placed tenth with 298 points.

Reider opened strong, moving into a lead with Notre Dame's John Michno and Connecticut's Lew Steiglitz. At the mile and one-half mark, the Spartans' Henry Kennedy flashed by this trio to gain a lead which he never relinquished.

Reider faded slightly at the Parade Ground turn, but picking up the tempo at Cemetery Hill, outsprinted several opponents to finish strongly. His time, 25:15, was five seconds slower than his time in the Heptagonals last week.

Norris bettered his Heptagonal time by 34 seconds, as he finished in 25:46, by far his best showing of the season.

Wharton and Captain Dave McLean proved the big disappointments for the Crimson. Wharton, who finished 15th in the Heptagonals, was never in contention after a slow start.

McLean succumbed to his old nemesis, the second hill of the course, as the rough terrain proved too much for his already injured ankle. He was forced to drop out of the race at the three mile mark.

Freshman captain Ed Martin suffered his first defeat of the season, as he finished 37th out of the field of 220 freshman runners.

Kennedy's winning time, a fantastic 24:01.8, smashed the existing record for the course, 24:30